[Useless]

FoxNews.com

Texas Governor Rick Perry was indicted Friday (15 August, 2014) for allegedly abusing his veto power during a dispute with a public corruption prosecutor over her drunken driving arrest -- in a case that could mar the potential 2016 presidential candidate’s political prospects. Perry, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, is the first Texas governor to be indicted in nearly a century.

The indictment came down late Friday, after a special prosecutor spent months calling witnesses and presenting evidence that Perry broke the law when he threatened to veto $7.5 million over two years for the public integrity unit, which is run by Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg's office. The governor wanted Lehmberg, a Democrat, to resign after she was arrested and pleaded guilty to drunken driving in April 2013. When she refused, Perry vetoed the money.

Mary Anne Wiley, General Counsel for Perry, said in a statement Friday evening that the governor's actions were allowed under the law. “The veto in question was made in accordance with the veto authority afforded to every governor under the Texas Constitution," she said. "We will continue to aggressively defend the governor's lawful and constitutional action, and believe we will ultimately prevail.” Perry's defense attorney David L. Botsford, said he was "outraged and appalled" at the decision. "This clearly represents political abuse of the court system and there is no legal basis in this decision," he said in a statement.

The governor wanted Lehmberg, a Democrat, to resign after she was arrested and pleaded guilty to drunken driving in April 2013. When she refused, Perry vetoed the money. Several top aides to Perry appeared before grand jurors in Austin, including his deputy chief of staff, legislative director and general counsel. Perry himself wasn't called to testify. Perry was indicted by an Austin grand jury on felony counts of abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public servant. Maximum punishment on the first charge is five to 99 years in prison, and two to 10 years on the second.

The Texas Democratic Party called on Perry to resign after the indictment was announced, calling the situation "unbecoming" of a Texas governor. "Governor Rick Perry has brought dishonor to his office, his family and the state of Texas. Texans deserve to have leaders that stand up for what is right and work to help families across Texas," Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement.

The dramatic development comes toward the end of Perry’s final term in office. In office since 2000 and already the longest-serving governor in Texas history, Perry isn't seeking re-election in November. But he was thought to be weighing a possible presidential run in 2016.

"I took into account the fact that we're talking about a governor of a state — and a governor of the state of Texas, which we all love," said Michael McCrum, the San Antonio-based special prosecutor. "Obviously that carries a lot of importance. But when it gets down to it, the law is the law." McCrum said he'll meet with Perry's attorney Monday to discuss when he will come to the courthouse to be arraigned, and said he doesn't know when Perry will be booked.

Accusations have flown on both sides in the legal showdown. Perry originally said Lehmberg, who is based in Austin, should resign after her arrest. A video recording made at the jail showed Lehmberg shouting at staffers to call the sheriff, kicking the door of her cell and sticking her tongue out. Lehmberg faced pressure from other high-profile Republicans in addition to Perry to give up her post. Her blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit for driving.

Lehmberg served about half of her 45-day jail sentence but stayed in office, despite Perry's assertions that her behavior was inappropriate. The jail video led to an investigation of Lehmberg by a separate grand jury, which decided she should not be removed for official misconduct. Her office is the same office that indicted U.S. Rep. Tom Delay as part of a finance probe.

No one disputes that Perry is allowed to veto measures approved by the Legislature, including part or all of the state budget. However, the left-leaning Texans for Public Justice government watchdog group filed an ethics complaint accusing the governor of coercion since he threatened to use his veto before actually doing so in an attempt to pressure Lehmberg to quit.

Lehmberg oversees the office's public integrity unit, which investigates statewide allegations of corruption and political wrongdoing. Perry said he wouldn't allow Texas to fund the unit while Lehmberg remained in charge. He used his line-item veto power to remove funding for the unit from the Texas budget.

Perry and his aides say he didn't break any laws. "The veto in question was made in accordance with the veto power afforded to every governor under the Texas Constitution, and we remain ready and willing to assist with this inquiry," spokeswoman Lucy Nashed said in April, after the grand jury was convened in the case.
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YouTube: < TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY LEHMBERG'S BOOKING FOOTAGE >
YouTube: < Jail Video Show Lehmberg Kicking Cell Door >
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Speaking as a Texan, and as a former Conservative Republican turned Democrat, (In reality, I vote split tickets) I am appalled by this. I'm no fan of Governor Rick Perry, but this indictment reeks of vindictiveness and abuse of power for the purpose of political payback. A matter worthy of note is that Michael McCrum, the Special Prosecutor in this case, reports directly to Lehmberg.

"The Texas Democratic Party called on Perry to resign after the indictment was announced, calling the situation "unbecoming" of a Texas governor."

Rather ironic that The Democratic Party in Texas is calling for Perry to resign based upon an indictment, while remaining appallingly silent AFTER the Travis County D.A. (whose blood level was three times over the legal limit) pleaded guilty to the DWI charge and was sentenced to 45 days in jail.

For the first time in a long times, it appears that The Democratic Party of Texas, which once had a stronghold in Texas politics, now has a chance of making a comeback. There are no "winds of change" blowing, but for those who are attuned to Texas politics, the first breezes are being detected......... at least until now. In my estimate, the Texas Dems have shot themselves in the foot, and that message will be made clear in November.

[Roadhog]

she must be part of the same Slapahoe tribe, as Fauxahontus Elizebeth Warren.

all he has to do is destroy his hard drives, and call this lady a racist.

[ironeagle_2006]

Lets see here a Democrat Indicts a Seated Republican Governor in a STRONGLY DEMOCRATIC COUNTY. They accuse him of Abuse of Power when he wanted a Convicted Felon Removed from Office. Boy the TEXAS DEMOCRATS MAKE THE CHICAGO DEMOCRATS LOOK GOOD AT TIMES.

[Useless]

Originally Posted by ironeagle_2006

Lets see here a Democrat Indicts a Seated Republican Governor in a STRONGLY DEMOCRATIC COUNTY. They accuse him of Abuse of Power when he wanted a Convicted Felon Removed from Office.

Hi, Ironeagle;
If the "convicted felon" you're referring to is Rosemary Lehmberg, then allow me to clarify a point; Lehmberg pleaded guilty to a Class A Misdemeanor; not a felony charge. Had her case involved a Felony DWI/DUI, she would have been disbarred. That makes this spectacle no less tawdry, though.

Boy the TEXAS DEMOCRATS MAKE THE CHICAGO DEMOCRATS LOOK GOOD AT TIMES.

That's really nothing new to Texas. We haven't seen the overt cronyism within the Democratic Party in Texas in some time, because the Democratic political machinery in Texas has been out of power since the mid to late 1990's; but from the days following the Civil War, up into the late 1990's, the Democratic Party ruled Texas with an iron grip.

From LBJ's mysterious Ballot Box 13, to the Parr family's ownership of the legislative chambers in Austin, to the many spectacles of former Texas Lt. Governor Bill Hobby, Jr., former U.S. Speaker of The House Jim Wright, and up through Former Texas Attorney General Dan Morales, the Texas Democratic political machinery here in Texas has a very colorful history, and a seriously checkered past.

Then of course, there's the debacle of former Travis County D.A. Ronnie Earl's vindictive and frivolous indictments of (now former) Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, (R-Tx.) So badly bungled was Earle's handling of that case, that District Judge John F. Onion Jr., (An elected Democrat) became so fed up with Earle's chicanery that he ordered the jury seated in Hutchinson's trial to return an instructed verdict of "Not Guilty".

These are but a few examples of political corruption here in Texas. It saddens me, because there is growing discontentment with the Republican Party here. Our criminal justice system is nothing short of disgraceful. In truth, it isn't a system of justice at all; it's an expensive legal system.

Our educational systems have suffered under Republican leadership. Due to the fact that Texas does not require schools to ofer sex education classes, and due to the Republican's advocacy of "Abstinence Only" birth control education, teenage pregnancy rates put us in the top five states (per capita) in the nation for teenage births. The rights of consumers, insurance claimants, and workers here in Texas have either badly eroded, or they have been virtually stripped away. Women's rights have also been under assault as well.

From an environmental standpoint, the Texas oil and natural gas fields are no doubt creating jobs and offering largely positive economic impacts throughout Texas, but increasing numbers of Texas rural land owners (who are, by and large, Republicans) are finding their water wells contaminated from fracking, and the highly toxic chemicals that are being used. Municipal water treatment systems are being plagued by illegal waste water and chemical disposals in their water treatment facilities. In the Republican dominated legislative halls in Austin, their grievances are largely falling on deaf ears.

As I stated earlier, the "winds of change" are not yet blowing in The Lone Star State, but for those who are keeping an ear to the ground, the breezes of change are starting to become discernible. Many moderates, and even some Republicans who are now finding themselves disenchanted by the Republican's rule here, are starting to reconsider their options in terms of where they might offer their support. Now, with this latest demonstration of political tomfoolery, the Texas Democratic Party is sending troubling signals that they have learned nothing about their mistakes from the past.

[golfhobo]

I like Gov. Perry, personally. But, as with most (if not all) Republican governors... I don't like his politics. More and more Texans are beginning to agree with me.

I give some credence to his claim that he is being "witch-hunted" by Democratic prosecutors who have done the same to other Republicans in powerful positions in the state. However, that is what I would "expect" him to say. Doesn't change the facts. And it is easy to see why he might want to get RID of an office who's commission is to root out corruption in the (Republican) government or administration.

There's no real argument as to whether or not he has the legal right to veto funding for any part of the budget, I suppose. But, absent all the other "facts," it would look quite suspicious if he DID so for a "watchdog" committee/agency like this one.

I believe he saw an opportunity to put a check on its power to give himself more (what's the word?) "flexibility?" ...especially as the midterms are approaching.

But, the facts are (as I understand them,) that he did, in fact, attempt to "coerce" the lady into resigning, and clearly threatened ... and followed through with... the veto ONLY when she refused. That is quite clearly against the law.

Was the lady an embarrassment? Certainly. But, I don't think she was the ONLY Texas public official to ever get a DUI. She just happened to be the head of the agency with the most power to constrain the corruption of the Republican administration and/or legislature. Smell fishy?

I don't think this is the kind of thing he should spend years in prison for though. It probably IS an impeachable offense, though I'd hate to see them drag THAT out either. Not that I think he would ever win the presidency anyways, but... I think he would do himself a favor to resign now, while he has two more years to put it behind him.

I have no doubt that the Dems in that office may have brought a few frivolous suits/actions in the past, for purely political reasons. But, what he did was a constitutional crime. There is a difference.

Oops!

[Roadhog]

This is probably more about Perry's possible run for president, and this is a commie's idea of an opportunity, as weak and lame as it is, to do him damage, in that regard.

The proglodyte commies in Austin are too stupid to think this up though, so they obviously had help from Communist Central Headquarters, in D.C. who set them up with the idea.

That is why you have commies like Axlerod running interference…. to throw those dumb Austin commies under the bus. clever, eh?

[Useless]

Originally Posted by Roadhog

This is probably more about Perry's possible run for president, and this is a commie's idea of an opportunity, as weak and lame as it is, to do him damage, in that regard.

The proglodyte commies in Austin are too stupid to think this up though, so they obviously had help from Communist Central Headquarters, in D.C. who set them up with the idea.

That is why you have commies like Axlerod running interference…. to throw those dumb Austin commies under the bus. clever, eh?

You may be right, Roadhog, but if derailing Perry's candidacy is the Texas Democratic Party's motivation, then it will most likely to backfire. The Late Lee A****er, (A-t-w-a-t-e-r ..... don't know why his last name was "bleeped") who was National Chairman of the Republican Party and one of Bush41's closest political advisers, had a saying:

"When the enemy is self destructing, the best thing you can do is just get the hell out of the way."

The Texas Dems don't need to spend time, money, or political capital trying to undermine Perry's quest for The Oval Office. Where Governor Blow-Dry is concerned, he'll no doubt make a run for the White House, but he won't make it very far. Most assuredly, Perry has a strong following of some very vocal (and rather ignorant) Palin TEA Baggers, but Perry is notorious for shooting himself in the foot with his unending gaffes and political blunders. He's also quite adept at alienating himself from women with IQ's above 75, minority groups, crossdockers, and anyone else who isn't a WASP.

While there's no doubt that Perry's vetoing funding of the Public Integrity Unit was a colossal exercise in political tomfoolery, I have yet to hear from any credible, unbiased, legal expert here in Texas who believes that he can be, or will be convicted. In Texas, the governor's powers to veto (including line item vetoes) are absolute. Ultimately, this is just another shameful spectacle of backroom political dealings, laced with heavy doses of ineptitude. Unethical?? Perhaps. Criminal?? No.

Unfortunately, Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg's conduct has been no less inept or reprehensible. Cronyism in Texas is nothing new, and in my 50+ years of residing in The Lone Star State, I can assure you that neither political party here in Texas has any lock on political vice or virtue. Conscience is tossed from both sides of the political aisles.

As far as the "Austin Commie" references are concerned?? The whole "Commie" thing is soooooooo 50 years ago. No dis' intended, Hog, but seriously; you didn't exactly come across as an intellectual giant with those remarks. Communism was NEVER a form of government that encouraged seriously contested, open elections, or high levels of voter participation.

Texas politics (under the rule of both the Repugs and the Dems) stands in stark contrast to Communism. Throughout our illustrious and colorful political history here in The Lone Star State, elections are not only hotly contested, they also tend to provide significant values of entertainment as well; entertainment that you simply didn't find within the Marxist-Leninist political systems. We're so devout in our beliefs in the electoral process and high voter participation that elderly people in nursing homes (especially Alzheimer patients!!) are able to vote without ever having to leave their wards, or having to set foot into a voting booth.

Heck...here in Texas, even DEAD people vote on a regular basis!!