Nobody here that I recall has defended Dan Ryan or Downshire at all. That being said, whether a skunk or not does not shield Huppe from being lumped in the same category as a skunk, just a different breed.
Nor does it mean that he does not contractually owe the other skunk for services.
Dan Ryan will never, never be trustworthy. He even describes himself as an SOB in business. When he's around, watch it. He's the living proof of the old adage (spelling?) "one needs to keep one's friends close but one's enemies even closer." RH has been with him twice, so.......