Posted on 07/24/2015 10:27:22 AM PDT by smoothsailing
July 24, 2015
An appeals court in Texas had dismissed one of two felony charges pending against former Gov. Rick Perry.
A grand jury indicted Perry last August on one count of abusing his office and one count of coercing a public servant for allegedly trying to push a local Democratic district attorney to resign by threatening to withhold state funds from her office.
Prosecutors claim that Perry tried to use his veto power to force Rosemary Lehmberg, the Travis County district attorney, to leave office after she was arrested for driving while intoxicated. Lehmberg’s office in Austin oversees public corruption investigations, including into officials in the Texas state government and the federal government.
The appeals court dropped the coercion of a public servant indictment, citing the Texas Republican’s right to free speech.
“The statute on which the ‘coercion of a public servant’ is based, as written, and as we are bound to construe it, violates the First Amendment and, accordingly, cannot be enforced,” wrote Texas Court of Appeals Judge Bert Richardson.
The charge would have entailed a prison term of between two and 10 years, while the remaining abuse of his official government position charge could carry between five and 99 years, according to the New York Times.
The former Texas governor, a 2016 Republican candidate for president, has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence.
The lead attorney for Perry’s team, Tony Buzbee, said in a statement that Friday’s decision “is a clear step towards victory for the rule of law.”
“The only remaining count we believe to be a misdemeanor, and the only issue is whether the governor’s veto — or any veto in the absence of bribery — can ever be illegal. The appeals court made clear that this case was questionable,” he added.
“The remaining charge is hanging on by a thread, and we are confident that once it is put before the court, it will be dismissed on its face.”
Regardless of what you think of Perry, this whole thing was a bunch of BS.
Can someone link the actual decision?
Agreed, but lately with his comments, I don’t care. I think he probably had potential, but the Soros crowd must have been promising him big things and things have changed, leaving him high and dry.
I agree, it was a sham from the beginning. Travis County is notorious for it’s leftist corruption, particularly centered around the DA’s office. Remember Ronnie Earle and his persecution of Tom DeLay?
Still, I’ll always be grateful to Perry for taking down Abortion Barbie.
What about what we know of Perry?
“Still, I’ll always be grateful to Perry for taking down Abortion Barbie.”
That was Greg Abbott (not that there aren’t plenty of things for which we should be grateful to Rick Perry).
Texas Gov. Rick Perry calls 2nd special session to pass abortion bill
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-gov-rick-perry-calls-2nd-special-session-to-pass-abortion-bill/
Oh, absolutely. A crock from start to finish, in the pattern of the Speaker of the House Tom Delay. Devastating tactic by Democrats to harass for years, and to financially break their target, regardless of the actual judicial outcome.
Perry is guilty, guilty, guilty. He is guilty of being a Republican which is a felony offense these days, punishable with life in prison without any requirement for any due process. Future progressive reforms will permit shooting Republicans on sight, avoiding the public expense of life in prison.
Perry, Christie and Walker all get legal attacks supported by media leaks and smears all about the same time. Battle space preparation by evil Hillary?
Walker maybe, but Perry and Christie are barely blips on the media radar. The main targets are Trump and Cruz.
If you are saying that Perry is connected to George Soros and "the Soros crowd" had promised Perry "big things" that is insane. Is that what your post meant? If yes it is bizarre. Rick Perry has no connection to George Soros other than a Soros group was behind the charges against Perry.
Oh, that “taking down.” Got it now. (I thought you had meant whipping her by over 20% in the gubernatorial election.)
Abortion Barbie’s entire campaign was delusional. Trying to whip up political support based on abortion in Texas is as stupid as it gets.
“Rick Perry has no connection to George Soros other than a Soros group was behind the charges against Perry.”
Rick Perry has shown that he is okay with massive legal and illegal immigration. That is a premier George Soros agenda item. The thing in Austin is merely the result of a liberal paradise not liking interference. I use to pull for Perry. Not anymore. The presidency could have been his for the taking if he had actually stood up to the invasion last summer. I heard him on Hannity at the time and some of the information he released was amazing, such as only about 10% of the flood were children. The media and government put out that they were mostly children.(A lady called in to a radio host here and said her acquaintances in Mexico told her that some of the men coming in from Central America were trained fighters.) There was never any real action by Perry. The people he sent to the border were only observers, and unarmed.
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