From the New York Times:
Mr. Perry leapt into the Republican presidential primary this month preceded by his reputation as a thoroughbred fund-raiser. But a review of Mr. Perry’s years in office reveals that one of his most potent fund-raising tools is the very government he heads.
Over three terms in office, Mr. Perry’s administration has doled out grants, tax breaks, contracts and appointments to hundreds of his most generous supporters and their businesses. And they have helped Mr. Perry raise more money than any politician in Texas history, donations that have periodically raised eyebrows but, thanks to loose campaign finance laws and a business-friendly political culture dominated in recent years by Republicans, have only fueled Mr. Perry’s ascent.
“Texas politics does have this amazing pay-to-play culture,” said Harold Cook, a Democratic political consultant.
Mark Miner, a spokesman for Mr. Perry, said there was no connection between Mr. McHale’s contributions and the grant to G-Con. He said that the purpose of the state money was to create jobs and that it was appropriate for Mr. Perry to appoint people who support his vision and policies to state oversight posts.
“These issues have been brought up in previous elections to no avail,” Mr. Miner said.
Good grief! Is Texas D.C. (city) politics on steroids? That stuff might fly down in Texas but once national sunshine hits some of the Governor’s ‘deals’ there might be some fast back-pedaling. The days of influence pedaling were over, I thought. Government is not supposed to be used to pay back those who have been generous.
One glaring example of Texas politics–Perry style involves one John McHale of Austin, Texas. McHale is an entrepreneur who was known for supporting Democratic politics. 2 years ago he wrote a check out for $50,000 to Perry’s campaign, then another check for the same amount in 2010. the NY times explains:
In May 2010 an economic development fund administered by the governor’s office handed $3 million to G-Con, a pharmaceutical start-up that Mr. McHale helped get off the ground. At least two other executives with connections to the firm had also given Mr. Perry tens of thousands of dollars.
Apparently it is all legal because Texas has very loose laws involving this sort of thing. However, the question now becomes–will Rick Perry’s brand of using the state to reward the financially faithful pass muster once he goes on the national scene? Time will tell. One of our readers seems to feel that we can start waving good bye around Christmas. She feels he simply will not be able to withstand the inquiries brought about by these kinds of questions.
Meanwhile I am having flash backs of Tennessee Williams characters…many of them named Big Daddy…who all swagger and have a rich southern accent and who seem to own the town and its surroundings. There is always a “Big Daddy” somewhere. I guess the time has come for “Big Daddy” Perry.
Like I’ve said, a lot of rich people are making their money off the government. Where would Booz Allen and their ilk be if those pesky business regulations began to disappear?
Texas and TEPCO (remember the three meltdowns in Japan) were planning on doing business together – NRG decided to cancel the permitting process and ended up writing off $400k in investment plannning..wonder which tax code allowed them to get their money back. Tepco had a horrible record before the tsunami.
It’s not just Perry. Perry just made the wrong people really angry last week.
To be fair, pay to play is one area that is truly bipartisan. Nearly 80 percent of the people who raised $500k or more for Obama in 2008 got key appointments in his administration. For instance, the VP of Level 3 Communications, who raised over $500k, was put in charge of hiring for the White House before being named Ambassador to South Africa, and Level 3 got $13.8M in stimulus money. Remember, money is speech and it appears those who can raise it in large quantities are the most articulate and the best qualified for government jobs.
http://www.iwatchnews.org/2011/06/15/4880/obama-rewards-big-bundlers-jobs-commissions-stimulus-money-government-contracts-and
Well, I would be bold enough to say that kind of crap needs to stop. It has always gone on, even back in the infancy of the country.
Which Americans are ready to say enough is enough? Why should the person with the most money be getting all the bennies?
Ha, ha, ha, Moon!
Don’t we know that those with money can buy just about everything.
The Supreme Court didn’t put any restrains on “them richies'” contributions.
Buy yourself an ambassadorship – much money = London, Paris, Rome, Madrid.
Less money = some godforsaken country in Africa. In between = Scandinavia and/or the Caribbean.
Luxembourg or Monaco aren’t too bad either.
Punchak — The “godforsaken” countries in Africa are where most regular Foreign Service officers have to go for ambassadorships, particularly the smaller countries. However, I do remember a political appointee to one then very pleasant place in Africa many years ago. He got pinched by the law when he was leaving that post. They found in his personal effects shipment all kinds of valuable government-owned African artwork which had been purchased to furnish the ambassadorial residence. Never did figure out how a rich guy like that couldn’t afford to buy his own African art! He was replaced by a career Foreign Service Officer, who did one heck of a good job while I was there — so good that he managed to get his next ambassadorship in a European country where that post was usually “for sale.”
As for Monaco? Not for sale. Well, not as a stand-alone unit. Our Ambassador to France is also our Ambassador to Monaco. Now, with that tandem assignment you are truly talking about some big bucks!
Punchak, buying ambassadorships has been around LONG before Citizen’s United.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2009/06/cant_buy_me_love_what_about_an.html
I don’t see us discontinuing this trend as long as we elect the same kind of politicians into office regardless of -R or -D tag.
Joe Kennedy Sr. is a fine example.
+2 for that example. I sit in awe.
I probably didn’t have to go back that far for some good examples. He just popped out at me though. He also got called back home.