Free Republic

A Houston lawyer, for reasons unknown, is trying to get the detailed billing records submitted by special prosecutors pursuing felony charges against former Gov. Rick Perry, opening another front in the tangled legal saga. While the likely presidential candidate waits to hear if an appeals court will throw out the charges against him, special prosecutors Mike McCrum and David Gonzalez are now suing state Attorney General Ken Paxton on the side. They are fighting an open records ruling that might force them to disclose details of their investigation, including whom they have interviewed while building their case against Perry. This...

Texas prosecutor Mike McCrum says the grand jury that indicted former Texas Governor Rick Perry has made two mutually exclusive factual findings. The grand jury, McCrum says, has alternately declared that Perry's public statement threatening to veto a spending bill was 1) An official act; and 2) Not an official act. The significance of this will be described below. First, though, recall that there are two Counts in the indictment against Perry: COUNT ONE: Abuse of Official Capicity. This count alleges that Perry abused the office of Governor by "misusing" government "property" (the veto is the item Perry allegedly misused)...

<p>AUSTIN – Former Gov. Rick Perry again Friday asked a state judge to toss out the indictment accusing him of abusing his authority.</p> <p>Perry’s lawyers said the charges against the former governor were too vague and failed to allege a violation of the law.</p>

Former Gov. Rick Perry presented an “angry man” persona at a news conference on Wednesday when responding to a court ruling on the abuse of office indictment against him. He needn’t have been so angry. His lawyers are making headway. Judge Bert Richardson ruled Tuesday that the case can move forward, but he also noted weaknesses in both counts of the indictment. Perry’s lawyers said they’ll appeal the ruling, while at the same time taking advantage of Richardson’s suggestion that they reword their motion to dismiss one of the counts and try again.

AUSTIN — The prosecutor handling the indictment against Rick Perry is pressing a judge not to dismiss the case, arguing that doing so would amount to making an exception for the governor. In a series of filings made public Friday evening, special prosecutor Michael McCrum argues the only way to deal with the allegations against Perry is to let the facts come out during a trial and ask a jury to decide the governor’s fate ... In seeking a dismissal of the case, Perry’s defense team has argued the indictment violates Perry’s right to free speech, defies the separation of...

AUSTIN -- The special prosecutor in the case against Gov. Rick Perry is asking for some help. San Antonio lawyer Michael McCrum, who guided the case to last month's indictment, filed a motion Friday asking a state court to fund a co-counsel. "Mr. Perry has filed several pleadings attacking the legality of the Texas statute that underlie the criminal charges the grand jury filed against him," McCrum wrote. "After due consideration, it is the opinion of undersigned counsel that an additional counsel is necessary at this time to adequately respond to motions and applications filed and otherwise prepare for trial."...