Texas Governor and 2012 presidential candidate Rick Perry has never been exactly “my guy.” But now he seems like a kindred spirit, having been indicted on two felony counts of … well … as the indictment states it, “threatening to veto legislation that had been approved and authorized by the Legislature of the State of Texas.”
The indictment is only two pages. Easy to read.
What seems hard to read is why a prosecutor would bring a criminal charge in a case like this.
Last year, Governor Perry publicly and transparently threatened a veto of the $7.5 million in funding for the Public Integrity Unit of the Travis County District Attorney’s office unless Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg resigned her office.
Why should she resign? Lehmberg was arrested and convicted for driving drunk and still found it necessary to behave badly in the process. Which arguably, per Gov. Perry, clashed with her continuation as head of the Public Integrity shop.
Lehmberg refused to resign and Perry vetoed the $7.5 million.
Now Perry is facing two felony charges from the same prosecutor’s office that has had other high profile cases — most famously the prosecution of Tom DeLay — end in acquittal. If convicted, he could face up to a 99-year sentence.
Someone more “my guy,” former Texas Congressman Ron Paul, called the indictment “pure politics” and “a joke.”
He didn’t mean it was funny, though. It is a very serious signal of just how out of control our political process has become.
Governors have the constitutional veto power for a reason. Threatening a veto is standard politics. It’s their job.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
7 replies on “Texas-sized Trouble”
As usual we libertarians have to protect the rights of people with whom we disagree, In the case of Perry, I will need a clothespin for my nose, but fair is fair.
We are sooooo Third World now.
Might as well adopt the peso, take more naps, default on our debts and start happy hour at 9pm like they do.
As Liddy used to say,
You can indict a ham sandwich.
Doesn’t mean it’s legit.
What is always omitted from reports of this story is the fact that this very same Travis Cty DA “Public Integrity Unit” employed EXACTLY the same technique to remove Rep. Tom DeLay from his leadership role in the U.S. House several years ago. Rep. DeLay was indicted for a non-existent “crime” by the PIU; House Republican rules required him to step down, and ultimately resign from the House (and House Democrats have no such rule.) Several YEARS later (and many, many $thousands lated), the caase went to trial: Not Guilty. But the tactic worked — Rep. DeLay was successfully removed from the House.
Needless to say, the Austin/Travis Cty DA office is staffed virtually 100% by Democrats, as are all local offices. The DeLay tactic was used by Ronnie Earle, Lehmberg’s predecessor in office and mentor.
If any party in this shameful story is practicing “official oppression” and “abuse of office”, it is the Democrats in the DA’s office.
Doesn’t seem like the county that voted for that prosecutor is have their tax dollars well spent.
Takes two to tango; gotta have a judge go along with this.
Lynn — Well said.
TxDoc — NOT “always.” This writer duly noted that this same Travis Co prosecutor unjustly persecuted Tom DeLay.