Bank Of America To Perry: 'We Will Help You Out'

WASHINGTON -- A Bank of America executive offered more than just encouragement to Texas Gov. Rick Perry in a CSPAN clip uncovered by blog ZeroHedge. He offers "help."

After speaking at a Politics and Eggs breakfast in Bedford, N.H., on Wednesday, Perry was approached by a man who then introduced himself to the governor and said: "Bank of America -- we will help you out."

The man appears to be James Mahoney, director of public policy for Bank of America. He serves on the board of the event's sponsor, according to ZeroHedge.

Politico confirmed that it was Mahoney in the video. A spokesperson told Politico that Mahoney was offering "nonpartisan policy expertise."

Since 2003, Perry's campaigns have received more than $125,000 from Bank of America's PAC and executives, according to ThinkProgress.

Bank of America sent a statement to HuffPost:

Bank of America does not endorse Presidential candidates. The reference was about following up on the substance of the speech about job creation and economic growth. Discussing policy issues that affect our company and our customers is something we do with policymakers of both parties routinely at the local, state, and Federal levels.

This story has been updated to include a statement from Bank of America.

Comments

[keemia]

05:50 PM on 08/22/2011

How about all Dems pull their money out of their BoA accounts? That'll show'em.

[centsable]

05:17 PM on 08/22/2011

This is a joke right, with BofA laying off, and it's stock dropping almost 30% in the last month, sounds like Perry should be helping them.

[2011onthegogyrl]

01:24 PM on 08/22/2011

Bank America ordinary citizens can use help preventing their homes from going into foreclosure!!

[capnjakva]

11:59 AM on 08/22/2011

Bank of AmeriKa is just looking to get someone in office that will call off the dogs and creditors that are looking into their criminal bookkeeping and lending swindles. Not surprising they would lean towards the Teapublicans.

[Kiffanik]

11:51 AM on 08/22/2011

Could this help involve refusing to lend, laying off employees, or in anyway contributing to the dragging down of the economy for political gain?

[Otherday]

11:36 AM on 08/22/2011

Just a little example of "Citizens United speech" in action. There wouldn't be any strings attached to all the money, would there be?

Perry is another version of Bush Junior. The same crowd that gave us Junior are now backing Perry.

[Algo]

09:21 AM on 08/22/2011

Indeed, let the banks select our king - same as it ever was. BoA, one of the best at screwing people, keeping serfs in-line. Go for Perry!

[claraluz]

09:07 AM on 08/22/2011

One more proof that politicians are bought and sold like commodities by the megacorporations that run the country. Getting closer to the goal: A Corporate America sitting pretty on top while the serfs (us) labor away to make sure CEO's get their multimillion dollar bonuses. The only bright spot is that once that goal is fully achieved, even the Regressives and sellout Democrats who have been working so hard for their masters will be in the same boat as us, because the masters are not about to make good on their promises of preferential treatment.

[calloy]

08:08 AM on 08/22/2011

how does a bank who almost failed a short time ago have any extra money to donate to a candidate?

[Algo]

09:23 AM on 08/22/2011

Maybe the fed gave them printing authority.

[GrogInOhio]

04:55 PM on 08/22/2011

They're using your money. Check this link...

http://www.bloomberg.com/data-visualization/federal-reserve-emergency-lending#/overview/?sort=nomPeakValue&group=none&view=peak&position=0&comparelist=&search=

[lew]

12:29 AM on 08/22/2011

Great. Crookedest Bank of America decides 'Tricky Ricky' is their boy. How much more obvious does it have to be that American politicians are just a bunch of white collar criminals working a scam like an organized crime family would do. The banks and insurance companies continue to plunder the treasury fully protected by all the Republican criminals and enough Democrats to succeed.

[Algo]

09:26 AM on 08/22/2011

You are right on!

[hikeon43]

09:41 PM on 08/21/2011

I guess we will never get corporate money out of congress now
government for we the corporation
very sad america!

[dadofcassie]

08:16 PM on 08/21/2011

A bank to "help out" a repugnatcan...WOW... will wonders ever cease???

[sailor422]

08:03 PM on 08/21/2011

BofA needs to worry about helping the stockholders out not Perry

[usma84]

06:58 PM on 08/21/2011

"nonpartisan policy expertise." - yeah, right - this is the same BoA that lied to their share holders - BoA can't be trusted to tell the truth to anyone about anything, including to the people that own BoA.

[llyd wlsh]

05:36 PM on 08/21/2011

saw this on COUNTDOWN....though i hate what they are doing, i gotta love boa's spin....boa should be DOA