To hear Rick Perry tell it, Abe Lincoln grew up in Beverly Hills.

Although his father was a county commissioner, to hear Rick tell it they were so poor that even their cockroaches starved to death.  He claims he didn’t have indoor plumbing, electricity or a window to let air in until he was ready for prom.

Although he’s been on the public teat all his life, which admittedly include some very nice federal farm subsidies, Rick Perry is a millionaire.

How the hell did that happen?  Welcome to the pay to play state.

Since his first race for office more than a quarter century ago, Gov. Rick Perry has emphasized his roots as a rural farmer.

Yet Perry’s bank account no longer reflects those humble beginnings as his bottom line has soared in recent years, records show, thanks largely to a handful of real estate deals that critics allege were achieved through the presidential candidates’s political connections.

In just about every campaign Perry has run since 1989, allegations of his using his position for financial gain have come up. It’s an issue Perry long ago accepted would linger as long as he remains in the public eye.

Perry is required to file his first financial disclosure form with the Federal Elections Commission by Sept. 15. He can request up to two 45-day extensions.