[matt4077]

While former politicians do get compensated handsomely for giving speeches, I'm not sure about those they give at Universities. I believe those (as well as classes they sometimes teach) are usually part of their philanthropic efforts.

I once attended a lecture by Justice Scalia at my University, and I'm absolutely certain that the University can not legally pay a speaker anything close to the 6-digit sums that someone of his caliber would get on the commercial speakers' circuit. I once sat on a committee that organised such talks, and it took us a year of politics to get approval to invite the XKCD guy, who, unlike the usual academic visitors, charges a fee. Usually, speakers are afforded a stipend to cover their travel expenses only.