Court tosses abuse-of-office case against Perry

Perry was the governor of Texas for 15 years, the longest-serving governor in the history of the state. That’s a decision that special prosecutor Michael McCrum has called “horrendous”, arguing that the court has made a special exemption for Perry. And the court has also determined that the attempt to prosecute th governor for allegedly threatening to exercise his veto power is also unconstitutional as violative of the first amendment. Although it didn’t stop him from launching a brief second presidential bid, he pointed to the indictments as factors in his failure to gain traction as a candidate.

The highest criminal court in Texas decided in a 6-2 ruling that courts can not restrict veto power and that prosecuting a veto “violates separations of powers”.

After being indicted for his threat and then veto of PAO funding, Perry dismissed the charges brought against him in Travis County (which encompasses liberal Austin) as a “political witch hunt”. (Credit: AP) In a split decision that drew two concurrences and two dissents, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed a lower…

Perry had vetoed the $7.5 million in financing for the unit, stating that he could not support giving money to “an office with statewide jurisdiction at a time when the person charged with ultimate responsibility of that unit has lost the public’s confidence”.

In 2014, Perry told the Texas legislature that he would veto funding for the state’s Public Integrity Unit unless its administrator Rosemary Lehmberg resigned. But a group called Texans for Public Justice lodged a formal complaint, alleging that Perry tried to extort Lehmberg, a political opponent, and force her resignation. He conceded to reporters in Austin on Wednesday that the indictments hurt his candidacy but didn’t dwell on the impact, and said he would veto the same funding again if given the chance. The charge had a maximum 10-year prison term.

Perry bowed out early from the 2016 race, after only 100 days in the running, CNN reported. He said in September that the indictment – which he blamed on the “drunk DA” – had a “corrosive” effect on his presidential campaign’s fundraising.

Public outrage followed, with Perry then calling for her resignation. But polls showed he was badly trailing in the race despite numerous visits to Iowa, New Hampshire and SC.