Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) Indicted For Abuse of Power

enlightenedbum

Story here.

Short version: Travis County DA Rosemary Lehmberg pleads guilty to drunk driving. Perry calls on her to resign and threatens to veto funding for the Public Integrity Unit, which she runs. She refuses. In response, Perry goes through with the veto. Two counts result from the threat: one abuse of official power, and one coercion of public servant. Faces 109 years.

(Paragraph edited to reflect more accurately where the charges came from)

Would the last theoretical GOP 2016 candidate to not be under criminal investigation please turn off the lights?

nexuscrawler

Wow what a sack of crap

Opty

Holeee fuck. Thank god there's some good news today to help dilute the Ferguson clusterfuck.

Preacher

So what's the chance of this actually doing anything to Perry? Less than Nothing?

override367

well his already zero chances of being president are even more zero

Preacher

Too bad this won't damage the current nominee for GOP governor despite I believe serving in Perry's admin (or did that guy lose the primary?)

override367

the only disappointing thing about this is it says Rick Perry instead of Scott Walker

Preacher

The only bad thing I could see is that people probably think the DA should have resigned and thus Perry won't be convicted because the ends justify the means in Texassssssss.

Elki

whoooboy

Gaddez

Is it really such a great surprise that a guy who couldn't remember three things did something horribly wrong not realizing he could be punished for it?

override367

Preacher wrote: »

The only bad thing I could see is that people probably think the DA should have resigned and thus Perry won't be convicted because the ends justify the means in Texassssssss.

I don't expect anything to happen in Texas, the courts there are like the worst you'll find in a first world nation

nexuscrawler

override367 wrote: »

Preacher wrote: »

The only bad thing I could see is that people probably think the DA should have resigned and thus Perry won't be convicted because the ends justify the means in Texassssssss.

I don't expect anything to happen in Texas, the courts there are like the worst you'll find in a first world nation

its still something they convinced a Grand Jury to indict for a crime that nobody's been charged with since 1917

Hakkekage

Wow

Important to keep in mind that this is not a conviction, but clearly the grand jury thinks the prosecution has a case

I would also like to point out the irony that he is facing charges for threatening to abuse his power against the Public Integrity Unit

HallowedFaith

Ah yes, Rick Perry.

This is my favorite thing to ever come from something related to him:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_RITC5bH4M

enlightenedbum

Hakkekage wrote: »

Wow

Important to keep in mind that this is not a conviction, but clearly the grand jury thinks the prosecution has a case

I would also like to point out the irony that he is facing charges for threatening to abuse his power against the Public Integrity Unit

I'm hoping Cuomo goes down for the same thing.

Javen

Yeah, really just saying 'indicted by a grand jury for abuse of power' is going to seriously mess him up, politically, even if it's seriously doubtful he'll face any real jailtime, or any consequences whatsoever

SyphonBlue

I wish I could say this destroyed his presidential hopes but this probably just makes him MORE popular in the eyes of a GOP voter

Preacher

Well Perry was done anyway, I mean you can't have the kind of 2012 parade of idiocy that he had and expect to be viable.

enlightenedbum

One thing I will definitely say: that is a shockingly leak proof grand jury. I hadn't heard even an inkling of this, and some fairly dialed in people (Josh Marshall for example) don't seem to have either.

rhylith

OH MY GOD YES

TexiKen

Just some extra info:

The DA blew a .239, nearly three times the legal limit. Here's footage of her acting all indignant about being arrested in the first place just to show how she thinks her shit don't stink:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7y7oJ266qI

emnmnme

I don't understand why Perry was kicking up dust over Rosemary Lehmberg in the first place. She drove drunk and served time. Was it grandstanding to make himself look like he was tough on public officials or did Lehmberg and Perry have some kind of bad history and he wanted her specifically gone for any reason?

Preacher

So if Perry is convicted does that mean he can't legally own firearms?

enlightenedbum

It's kind of irrelevant. Regardless of whether she should have resigned, you can't fuck around with the Justice system for political reasons.

Taramoor

Yeah, I remember that.

She totally should've resigned.

Of course, resigning or not is her decision, and blackmailing her by threatening to cut her department funding and then actually doing it is still monstrously unethical.

Huu

I'm doubtful anything will come of this. Not holding republicans responsible in any way for their words and actions is a cornerstone of American politics.

override367

SyphonBlue wrote: »

I wish I could say this destroyed his presidential hopes but this probably just makes him MORE popular in the eyes of a GOP voter

oh god I hope so

I hope to god this propels him to the top of the primary so he can thank president hillary clinton for being a good opponent

Couscous

Time for everybody who is horrified at Obama's legal executive actions to suddenly support this because she deserved it.

Preacher

emnmnme wrote: »

I don't understand why Perry was kicking up dust over Rosemary Lehmberg in the first place. She drove drunk and served time. Was it grandstanding to make himself look like he was tough on public officials or did Lehmberg and Perry have some kind of bad history and he wanted her specifically gone for any reason?

Because he could, that's just why assholes do what they do.

override367

it's like the time scott walker used his authority to stop a small business owner/graduate from joining the UW board of regents when he found out the guy had voted against him

except that had no consequences because Republicans are wholeheartedly in favor of abuse of power

emnmnme

SyphonBlue wrote: »

I wish I could say this destroyed his presidential hopes but this probably just makes him MORE popular in the eyes of a GOP voter

They're already spinning the story. Rick Perry is a victim.
http://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Perry-indicted-on-two-felony-charges-5691872.php?cmpid=bna

Steve Munisteri, chairman of the Texas Republican Party wrote:

I think most people would feel it's not inappropriate to exercise a governor's prerogative to not appropriate funds to a governmental authority that's had a government official that's conducted themselves in a way that gives the governor pause ... Most Republican voters will feel as I do – that this was politically motivated. This is not about somebody charged with taking a bribe ... misusing government property. This is about a governor who said he didn't want to agree to appropriations for a public official who had admittedly committed a crime.

Preacher

I like how an entire department is punished for one persons action. Because that makes sense. Great defense "We did it but she deserved it!"

spool32

what in the


The prosecutor investigating public integrity was drunk as fuck, on camera screaming and belligerent drunk, then flaunted her inability to be removed despite calls from literally everyone to stop being a fucking embarrassment to the idea of public integrity.

Here is an actual story, one that makes clear the indictment is for an attempt to coerce her, rather than for actually following through on the veto (which no one disputes is completely within his power)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/texas-perry-indicted-coercion-veto-threat-25003869

Also makes clear that the case is politically motivated, brought by leftwing groups and pushed forward by a San Antonio democrat.

dlinfiniti

bahhaha whats with the dramatic background music

spool32

But of course you guys are all about trashing the republican instead of the drunk driver who made a fool of herself and a mockery of her office.

It's totally because he's an asshole, not because it was the only weapon he had available to try and restore some public integrity to the office of public integrity.

damn, people. Which other irresponsible criminals who only managed not to kill someone through sheer luck are you going to defend?

Preacher

Vetoing something is within his power yes, but using your political power to coerce another public official to do or not do something is pretty much the definition of abuse of power.

spool32

Preacher wrote: »

I like how an entire department is punished for one persons action. Because that makes sense. Great defense "We did it but she deserved it!"

If she'd had a shred of integrity she would have resigned instead of trying to tough it out in addition to being a drunken belligerent danger to the public.

enlightenedbum

Not defending her, she probably should have resigned. But the Governor can't mess with the actual justice system in the way he did. Same reason the US Attorneys scandal was a scandal.

Chanus

I do believe it was also mentioned in this thread, which is like 20 whole posts long, that she should have resigned for being drunk as fuck.

And also, Rick Perry is absolutely an asshole.

Phoenix-D

spool32 wrote: »

But of course you guys are all about trashing the republican instead of the drunk driver who made a fool of herself and a mockery of her office.

It's totally because he's an asshole, not because it was the only weapon he had available to try and restore some public integrity to the office of public integrity.

damn, people. Which other irresponsible criminals who only managed not to kill someone through sheer luck are you going to defend?

It is entirely possible for them to both be assholes, you know.

Preacher

spool32 wrote: »

Preacher wrote: »

I like how an entire department is punished for one persons action. Because that makes sense. Great defense "We did it but she deserved it!"

If she'd had a shred of integrity she would have resigned instead of trying to tough it out in addition to being a drunken belligerent danger to the public.

Irrelevant to cutting off funding for her department which I'm pretty sure is made up of more than just her, probably a lot of people who didn't do a damn thing other than have a boss who didn't resign. I believe her position is elected yes? Shouldn't the voters have made that decision?