Retired in name only

I mean, there are lots of things to say about this piece today in the Politico, and others have said many of them, but am I missing something:

President Bush and Karl Rove sat listening to Norman Podhoretz for roughly 45 minutes at the White House as the patriarch of neoconservatism argued that the United States should bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities.

This is written as if it's contemporaneous (i.e., within the past few days). Wasn't Karl Rove supposed to have retired? Yet, he's still sitting in on meetings with Bush at the White House? I know, I know... they're just good friends. And, of course, we all know that it's very wrenching for some people to let go and actually retire. I guess we should really feel sorry for the man.

Question: How much is he billing us taxpayers as a consultant to the President instead of a White House employee?