It Pays to be a Friend of Rick Perry

Literally.

Wayne Slater at the Dallas Morning News has a piece out about what it means to people to be friends of Rick Perry.

It means dollar signs and lots and lots of zeroes.

Witness what it has meant to Perry BFF Ray Sullivan and his wife.

From the Dallas Morning News:

“One family that’s done well is the Sullivans of Austin, Ray and Leslie, whose political ties to Perry over the past decade have paid big dividends.”   

“Ray has shuttled between top jobs on Perry’s staff and as a lobbyist representing interests with business before the state. His wife has directed the governor’s political fundraising.”  

“They haven’t broken the law or the rules governing the practice of politics and policy, and they’ve made between $4 million and $5.7 million since Perry’s been governor, according to campaign reports, lobby filings and state payroll records.”

Get that? No laws are broken but a close friend and ally has enriched himself by being known to be close to the governor, and advocating positions to him.

For pay.

Positions like the governor’s attempted land grab for the Trans Texas Corridor, a project proposed by the HNTP Corporation – who paid Sullivan to advocate for them.

Positions like the governor’s aborted attempt to privatize the Texas Lottery, remember that one? Turns out that it was Sullivan’s client, the Swiss bank UBS, that wanted in on that deal.

Both Sullivan and his wife have landed whales for Rick Perry’s campaign treasure chest, and both Sullivan and his wife have been generously repaid by giving them jobs that allow them to pull down paychecks that put them in the tax bracket that will very probably have the Bush tax cuts removed.

People who wonder why Rick Perry is going for an unprecedented 3rd term need look no further than how he has used this time to finely hone his skills in enriching himself and his friends. Paraphrasing Tom’ Petty’s song, It’s good to be governor.