Rick Perry Loses As Court Rules That He Must Face Felony Abuse Of Power Charges

[babylonsister]

http://www.politicususa.com/2015/07/24/rick-perry-loses-court-rules-face-felony-abuse-power-charges.html

Rick Perry Loses As Court Rules That He Must Face Felony Abuse Of Power Charges
By: Jason Easley
Friday, July, 24th, 2015, 3:10 pm


A Texas appeals court tossed one charge against Rick Perry but ruled that he must go to court to face a felony charge of abusing his power while governor.

The Houston Chronicle reported:

The former governor, who is running for the GOP nomination for president, repeatedly failed in efforts get the indictment dismissed by state Judge Bert Richardson. He took his case to the 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin.

The 3rd Court agreed with Richardson that it was too early in the case to decide whether the first count against Perry, charging abuse of official capacity, was unconstitutional as applied to the former governor. It is a first-degree felony.

But the appeals court rejected the second count, coercion of a public servant, saying that the law on which it is based violates the First Amendment.

The bigger charge that Perry is facing in terms of his bid for the Republican presidential nomination is the abuse of power charge. In a Republican field that is loaded with scandal-tainted candidates, Perry is the only one who could be headed to trial while Republican voters are selecting their candidate.

At the heart of the case is Perry’s attempt as governor to use his veto power to withhold funding from the Public Integrity Unit in order to force a county district attorney to resign. Perry’s threat and abuse of his veto power has him facing a potential prison term if he is found guilty.

Rick Perry has gone nowhere in the Republican presidential polls, but after losing another appeal, it is clear that the former governor has a better chance of living in prison than in the White House.

[marym625]

1. YAY!

[Ghost in the Machine]

2. Thanks for the post, babylonsister! Can we get one more Rec to send it off to the Greatest? N/T

[riderinthestorm]

4. Done!

[Ghost in the Machine]

7. Thank you, riderinthestorm! I would never ask anyone to bump one of *MY* posts up to the Greatest

Page, but will certainly do for others for important stories!



Peace,

Ghost

[LiberalAndProud]

3. And there is one contender down for the count.

I predict (cloudy crystal ball and all) that he will be withdrawing from the race shortly.

[S_B_Jackson]

5. Sadly, not going to a trial anytime soon....

Former-Governor (not-so) Goodhair's legal team will appeal the remaining charges to the next higher court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals which is 8 Goppers, and 1 Democrat (Lawrence Meyers who switched parties in 2013).

I try to remain positive, but I can't shake the feeling that the fix is in and that the Rethugs have gamed the system to ensure that Perry is never held accountable for his mis-government of the state.

[sadoldgirl]

6. I agree, look how they handled it in WI. n/t

[babylonsister]

8. Yes, but it's fodder for his competitors; that can't be a bad thing. nt

[lpbk2713]

9. It must come to him as a hell of a shock ...

to discover he is not so much above the law after all.

Glad to see the ego adjustment.