BRIBERY NEWS – AT 7:55 A.M. ET:  Who said the Brits don't like the American way of doing things?  From the New York Post:

Flame-haired royal flake Sarah Ferguson, bragging that she and Prince Andrew are the "happiest divorced couple in the world," got stung on videotape shamelessly shilling access to her ex for more than $750,000.

Andrew, the 50-year-old Duke of York, is Britain's special representative for international trade and investment.

"Five hundred thousand pounds when you can, to me . . . open doors," Fergie says in videotape of a meeting at a ritzy London apartment, according to the British tabloid News of the World.

"Then you open up all the channels, whatever you need, whatever you want . . . We can do so much."

"If you want to meet him in your business, look after me and he'll look after you," the paper quoted her as telling an undercover reporter about Andrew.

COMMENT:  I actually find Fergie's honesty, while involved in a sublime act of corruption, rather refreshing.  In America I think they call this a...campaign contribution. 

I wonder what will happen now to the Duchess of Pork, er, York.  I do think Britain will survive. 

This reminds us of an old saying in Louisiana politics during the reign of the Long dynasty.  It went approximately like this:  "For a ten-thousand-dollar contribution, you get a meeting with the governor.  For a five-thousand-dollar contribution you get a meeting with a congressman.  For a twenty-five-hundred-dollar contribution you get a dinner with a state senator.  And for zero contribution you get good government."

And so the ways of the upper crust, or toasted crust, are revealed.

May 24, 2010