Austin lobbyists line up for Rick Perry fundraiser

[white cloud]

Looks like the Austin lobby is turning out in force to host a Sept. 2 fundraiser for Republican Gov. Rick Perry. An invitation lists 30 fundraising hosts -- all registered lobbyists. Nine of 30 used to work for Perry. The political revolving door is a fact of life in Austin, where influence and access to power is worth millions. As we reported today, the governor's chief of staff, Ray Sullivan, started as an aide to Perry, then was a lobbyist and last year returned to head Perry's office in the Capitol. Sullivan's wife, Leslie, directed Perry's political fundraising. The couple constitutes a kind of political trifecta -- fundraising, lobbying and working inside the governor's office. The couple has benefitted from their ties to Perry, making between $4 million and $5.7 million since Perry's been in office.

The Sept. 2 event at the Four Seasons in Austin will include a private reception for the Lone Star Council, the big-dollar donors who give at least $50,000 to Perry's reelection. Perry faces Democrat Bill White in November and both candidates have been actively raising money. White's top donors to date include some of the state's best-known trial lawyers, organized labor and Houston business types who backed him when he was mayor of Houston. Typically, the Austin lobby goes for the incumbent and Perry has been the incumbent governor for a decade.
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http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/08/austin-lobbyists-line-up-for-r.html

[sonias]

1. Hauling cash out of the public sector by the barrel

This is the same kind of crony corruption that got us into the national financial crisis. No one should wonder how Texas ended up in the budget hole and Perry keeps digging us deeper in the hole.

I just wish more people were paying attention!

[Lithos]

2. This is pretty much a perfect indication of how corrupt the Governor's office is

Bought, paid and beholden...

L-

[kenmcbride85]

3. And he likes to hire lobbyists..

And his chiefs of staff have been lobbyists - I hope all this nonsense ends in November.
http://politifact.com/texas/statements/2010/aug/30/bill-white/bill-white-says-most-gov-rick-perrys-chiefs-staff-/