Key Dates
Aug. 19, 2014 - Gov. Perry rallies and is booked at Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin.

Aug. 15, 2014 - Travis County Grand Jury issues indictment on two counts, abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public official.

June 14, 2013 - Texans for Public Justice files complaint with the Travis County District Attorney and to the Travis County Attorney’s office.


Press Releases from Texans for Rick Perry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         Contact: Travis Considine
Aug. 25, 2014

Press Release: Gov. Perry's Legal Team Files Writ Of Habeas Corpus

AUSTIN -- Today, Gov. Rick Perry’s legal team filed a pretrial application for writ of habeas corpus seeking to bar the prosecution of Gov. Perry on multiple constitutional grounds.

 
“Thus, for reasons of constitutional magnitude, including the separation of powers doctrine fundamental to our democratic system of government, Governor Perry should have the same opportunity for relief through habeas corpus in this case if the provisions are merely void as applied as he would have if they were facially unconstitutional,” Governor Perry’s legal team noted in the writ. “Subjecting any sitting Governor to a criminal prosecution and injecting the judiciary into a political dispute would be an unprecedented assault on this cherished separation of powers, and would impose an intolerable and incalculable chilling effect on the free exercise of legitimate constitutional powers by future governors.”
 
View The Application For Writ Of Habeas Corpus HERE.
 
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         Contact: Travis Considine
Aug. 25, 2014

Press Release: Mark Fabiani Joins Gov. Perry's Legal Team

AUSTIN - Today, lead attorney Tony Buzbee announced the addition of Mark Fabiani to Governor Rick Perry's legal team. Mark Fabiani joins Buzbee, Ben Ginsberg, Justice Tom Phillips, Bobby Burchfield and David Botsford.

"I'm proud to join Gov. Perry's outstanding team which has been assembled to fight back against this attack on the rule of law," Mark Fabiani said. "As we move forward to protect the Texas Constitution and the First Amendment rights of any governor, I am confident this prosecution will be revealed to be contrary to the law and wholly meritless."

Fabiani is former Special Counsel to President Bill Clinton, and former Deputy Campaign Manager for communications and strategy for former Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign. He also served as Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles and Chief of Staff to Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, and in senior positions at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Fabiani is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

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RickPAC T-shirt

Aug. 2014

Excerpts of Gov. Rick Perry's Remarks at Rally in Support 
Prior to Booking
at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin, TX
August 19, 2014

Thank you.  I'm here today, I'm here today because I believe in the rule of law.  And I'm here today because I did the right thing.  I'm going to enter this courthouse with my head held high, knowing the actions that I took were not only lawful and legal, but right...


...This indictment is nothing short of an attack on the constitutional powers of the office of governor.  There are important, fundamental issues at stake, and I will not allow this attack on our system of government to stand.  I'm going to fight this injustice with every fiber of my being.  And we will prevail.  And we'll prevail because we're standing for the rule of law.

[end of remarks; crowd chants Perry, Perry...]


Office of the Governor
Rick Perry
August 17, 2014

In Case You Missed It: Gov. Rick Perry Interview on FOX News Sunday

Today, Gov. Rick Perry was a guest on FOX News Sunday, the interview can be viewed below. Politico Magazine also published and op-ed today by Gov. Perry, "America's New Mission in Iraq," which you can read here.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz Called The Indictment "Extremely Questionable."
(Mike Ward, "Cruz Says Perry Charges ‘Highly Suspect'," Houston Chronicle, 8/16/14)

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal: "The Lawsuit Against [Gov. Perry] Is A Blatant Misuse Of The Judicial System By Liberal Activists Who Couldn't Defeat Him At The Polls."
(Twitter.com, 8/16/14)

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush: "The Indictment Of [Gov. Perry] Seems Politically Motivated And Ridiculous. Major Overreach And An Encroachment On His Veto Authority."
(Twitter.com, 8/16/14)

Business Insider: "Even Liberals Think The Indictment Of Rick Perry Looks Weak"

Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz: "Everybody, Liberal Or Conservative, Should Stand Against This Indictment."
(Sandy Fitzgerald, "Dershowitz 'Outraged' By Perry Indictment," Newsmax, 8/16/14)

Democrat Strategist David Axelrod: "Unless He Was Demonstrably Trying To Scrap The Ethics Unit For Other Than His Stated Reason, Perry Indictment Seems Pretty Sketchy."
(Twitter.com, 8/16/14)

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal: "The Lawsuit Against [Gov. Perry] Is A Blatant Misuse Of The Judicial System By Liberal Activists Who Couldn't Defeat Him At The Polls."
(Twitter.com, 8/16/14)

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush: "The Indictment Of [Gov. Perry] Seems Politically Motivated And Ridiculous. Major Overreach And An Encroachment On His Veto Authority."
(Twitter.com, 8/16/14)

Business Insider: "Even Liberals Think The Indictment Of Rick Perry Looks Weak"

Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz: "Everybody, Liberal Or Conservative, Should Stand Against This Indictment."
(Sandy Fitzgerald, "Dershowitz 'Outraged' By Perry Indictment," Newsmax, 8/16/14)

Democrat Strategist David Axelrod: "Unless He Was Demonstrably Trying To Scrap The Ethics Unit For Other Than His Stated Reason, Perry Indictment Seems Pretty Sketchy."
(Twitter.com, 8/16/14)

Office of the Governor
Rick Perry
Saturday, August 16, 2014

Statement by Gov. Rick Perry

Gov. Rick Perry today made the following statement regarding the decision by the Travis County Grand Jury:

"As governor, I took an oath to faithfully uphold the constitution of Texas, a pledge that I have kept every day as I've worked on behalf of Texans for the last 14 years. This same constitution clearly outlines the authority of any governor to veto items at his or her discretion. Just as I have following every legislative session during my service as governor, I exercised this authority to veto funding for an office whose leadership had lost the public's confidence by acting inappropriately and unethically.

"I wholeheartedly and unequivocally stand behind my veto, and will continue to defend this lawful action of my executive authority as governor. We don't settle political differences with indictments in this country. It is outrageous that some would use partisan political theatrics to rip away at the very fabric of our state's constitution.

"This indictment amounts to nothing more than an abuse of power and I cannot, and will not, allow that to happen. I intend to fight against those who would erode our state's constitution and laws purely for political purposes, and I intend to win. I will explore every legal avenue to expedite this matter and bring it to a swift conclusion. I am confident we will ultimately prevail, that this farce of a prosecution will be revealed for what it is, and that those responsible will be held to account."



Views from the Other Side...

Democratic National Committee
August 19, 2014
 
“This may be a sideshow to Rick Perry but no amount of spin can cover up two felony charges. When Rick Perry has his day in court, his case will be decided by the facts, not theatrics.
 
“We look forward to the evidence being presented in court that convinced a jury of the Governor’s peers to indict.”

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Michael Czin | National Press Secretary
Democratic National Committee

Democratic National Committee
August 18, 2014
 

Hey Folks –
 
Late Friday, news of Rick Perry’s two count indictment for abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public servant generated headlines across the country.
 
Rick Perry, his allies and the broader GOP quickly circled the wagons around their embattled governor and hit back. They quickly tried to spin that Perry’s indictment was the result of partisan politics.
 
Nothing could be further from the truth – here are the top 3 reasons why you should take this seriously…
 
1. The Investigation into Perry’s Conduct Was Not Partisan
 
Perry claims he’s the victim of a partisan witch hunt. That’s simply not true. An non-partisan, good-government group filed the original complaint against Perry for abusing the power of his office.
 
Officials from Travis County who are Democrats recused themselves from the case entirely. Billy Ray Stubblenfield, the presiding judge in the case, is a Republican and was appointed by Perry himself. Judge Stubblenfield picked a Republican judge and Bush appointee, Bert Richardson, to preside over the case. He in turn, selected the special prosecutor, Michael McCrum.
 
McCrum began his career as a federal prosecutor during George H.W. Bush’s administration. In 2009 McCrum was recommended for the job of U.S. attorney by Texas’ two Republican Senators.
 
The individuals who led the investigation into Perry’s misconduct and those presiding over this case have strong Republican bonafides – hardly a partisan group intent on taking down a Republican Governor. And for the record, there’s nothing partisan about those citizens who sit on a grand jury.
 
2. Perry Had Reasons to Derail the Public Integrity Unit’s Work
 
Perry claims he wanted to gut funding to the Public Integrity Unit because of a DUI. If that’s the case, why didn’t Perry say anything when two Republican District Attorneys were arrested during his tenure. Nor did he demand the resignation of state legislators that found themselves in the same predicament.
 
The fact is that Perry could have had another motive for gutting the Public Integrity Unit.  The PIU was investigating the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), a multi-billion dollar state funded institution with a record of misconduct and graft. 
 
In 2012 two Nobel laureates resigned from the cancer institute, amid concerns about the integrity of the institution’s grant procedures, suggesting politics were at play after funding was disbursed without review by the appropriate panel.
 
Last year, a former high ranking CPRIT official was indicted for improperly awarding an $11 million grant to a company that happens to have large investor who is also a Republican donor – a donor to Perry.
 
As The New York Times described it, the PIU happened to be “conducting a potentially damaging investigation into a medical research institute that has been one of Mr. Perry’s favorite avenues for grants and jobs." This investigation was underway when the Governor called for the head of that investigative unit to resign.
 
Perry pushing Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg to resign was a win-win. Lehmberg either resigned and he appointed her successor or he vetoed the PIU’s funding. Both would have the same effect: stopping the investigation into the CPRIT its tracks.
 
What’s more, Perry’s aides actually offered Lehmberg another government job if she just resigned from her post. If that sounds suspicious to you, you’re not alone. 
 
3. Perry’s Threat Was More Than Hardball Politics
 
No one disputes that Rick Perry – and all Texas Governors – have the power to line-item veto legislation. That’s not what this case is about: it’s about Rick Perry’s overreach and abuse of power.
 
A Governor using a veto to affect the legislative process or policy is one thing; using a veto in attempt to force an elected official to resign and possibly stymie a politically damaging investigation, is another.
 
During Friday’s press conference, Perry exclaimed, “We don’t settle political differences with indictments.” He’s right – we don’t, we settle political differences at the ballot box.
 
But that begs the question, why did he try to force out the Travis County District Attorney, a duly elected post instead of just waiting until the next Election Day to campaign for a new District Attorney? Why is he pushing her ouster when he made no resignation calls against other District Attorneys who found themselves in similar situations? Why did his aides offer her another job given his vitriolic rhetoric against her?
 
Perry’s actions are much more than just hardball politics and there are many more questions to be answered. Was it illegal? Well a grand jury of Perry’s peers thought so but we’ll see. 
 
Does it merit further investigation? Absolutely.
 
It’s  been nearly a century since a Texas governor has been indicted and this one will get his day in court. But until then, this deserves a serious look.
 
 
Mo
 
Mo Elleithee| Communications Director
Democratic National Committee

Democratic National Committee
August 16, 2014

Below please find a response from DNC Communications Director Mo Elleithee to Governor Rick Perry's press conference earlier: 

For a guy who prides himself on being Mr. Law & Order, he seems to have little respect for the rule of law.  This isn’t a partisan witch hunt.  It’s our legal process.  An independent and non-partisan special prosecutor was tapped by a Republican-appointed judge to look into allegations Perry abused his power, and he presented his case to a non-partisan grand jury.  They determined, based on the facts and the law, that there was enough evidence to bring back an indictment.  Governor Perry will have his day in court to make his case.  But his bluster today doesn’t change the fact that a grand jury — not partisan activists — found enough evidence to indict him for abuse of power.  And that fact alone is very concerning.

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Texans for Public Justice ** 609 W. 18th Street, Suite E, ** Austin, TX 78701

News Release
For Immediate Release:    Contact: Craig McDonald
June 14, 2013

Governor’s Threats to Travis County DA Likely Violate the Law, Says TPJ Complaint

Abuse of Office, Official Oppression, Coercion Statutes Cited

(Austin) In a complaint sent to prosecutors today, Texans for Public Justice alleges that Governor Rick Perry potentially committed several criminal offenses related to his recent threat to use his discretionary power to withhold money from the Travis County District Attorney’s office unless DA Rosemary Lehmberg resigns. TPJ believes the governor’s actions violate the Texas Penal Code, Title 8, Offenses Against Public Administration.

“Governor Perry has no legal authority to remove the Travis Country District Attorney from her job. Threatening to take an official action against her office unless she voluntarily resigns is likely illegal,” said Craig McDonald, TPJ Director.
“The governor overstepped his authority by sticking his nose in Travis County’s business. A legal process is currently underway. That process alone should determine the fate of the District Attorney.”

“Governor Perry’s official threats attempt to obtain two things that he can’t achieve through legal democratic means. First, to remove an elected Democrat and replace her with an appointed Republican DA. Second, to wipe out the state’s public corruption watchdog, which is currently investigating corruption in at least one of the governor’s signature corporate subsidy programs.”

TPJ sent its complaint letter to both the Travis County District Attorney and to the Travis County Attorney’s office. TPJ believes the Governor’s actions violate Penal Code Section 36.03 Coercion of a Public Servant, Section 39.02 Abuse of Official Capacity, Section 39.03 Official Oppression and potentially the Bribery Section 36.02. The offenses range from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class 2 felony.

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Texans for Public Justice is a non-profit, non-partisan research and advocacy organization that tracks the role of money in Texas politics.