June 11, 2007 (LPAC)--Hedge funds and private equity firms are buying up used government officials in the Americas and Europe. One of the funds, Centaurus, said the former public servants help provide the "big picture perspective" and an understanding of complex government deals. Ironic, since one of the arguments hedge funds make against regulation, is that their business is too complex for government types to understand.

Among those now toiling for the vulture funds are:

Former British Finance Minister Ken Clarke (Centaurus) Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar (Centaurus)
Former Bush 43 Treasury Secretary John Snow (Cerberus).
Former Bush 41 Vice President Dan Quayle (Cerberus).
Former Bush 43 Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill (Blackstone).
Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney (Blackstone).
Former Clinton Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers (DE Shaw).
Former Clinton Ambassador to the UN Richard Holbrooke (Perseus).
Former President George Bush (formerly with Carlyle Group).
Former British Prime Minister John Major (formerly with Carlyle Group).

Not to be outdone, a former Clinton Secretary of State has been set up with one, with her own name on the PO Box, "Albright Capital Management."

In its tally of bought-up former pols, AFP left former Clinton Vice President Al Gore off the list. Gore is a hired hand at Generation Investment Management.