Rick Perry’s ill-timed bombshell: Why Chris Christie’s having a good laugh

[DonViejo]

The Texas governor wanted to get headlines for 2016 -- but not quite like this. Here's why it really hurts so much

PAUL ROSENBERG

Texas Governor Rick Perry has been trying to leapfrog New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for some time—but not like this. Instead of jumping past Christie in the 2016 GOP presidential race, Perry jumped past Christie in the criminal indictment sweepstakes, scoring on two counts—abuse of official capacity, a first-degree felony, carrying a penalty of 5 to 99 years in jail, and coercion of a public official, a third-degree felony, carrying a penalty of 2 to 10 years in jail. Both carry fines up to $10,000.

An Austin, Texas grand jury handed down the two count indictment late Friday afternoon. They concern a coercive veto of over $7 million, intended to force the resignation of Travis County District Attorney, Rosemary Lehmberg in June 2013. In the near future, Perry will have to present himself to a judge and be booked like a common criminal defendant, including fingerprinting and a mug shot.

“I think it certainly will be a big deal with the liberal media – Slate, Salon – and therefore for the national media,” said Ray Sullivan, Perry’s spokesman during his ill-fated 2012 presidential campaign. Far be it for Salon to make the man a liar. But it should be a big deal in Texas as well. They haven’t removed a sitting governor in Texas since 1917. In that case, Democrat James E. Ferguson was impeached and removed from office, also for vetoing funding—in that case, for the University of Texas, after objecting to some faculty members.

“The veto in question was made in accordance with the veto authority afforded to every governor under the Texas Constitution,” said Mary Anne Wiley, General Counsel for Perry, in a statement. “We will continue to aggressively defend the governor’s lawful and constitutional action, and believe we will ultimately prevail.” But the fact that Ferguson was also removed from office for a coercive veto casts considerable doubt on those confident claims.

more
http://www.salon.com/2014/08/17/rick_perrys_ill_timed_bombshell_why_chris_christies_having_a_good_laugh/

[Faux pas]

1. Just had a vision of the bully and the goof

duking it out on the George Washington bridge. lol

[proverbialwisdom]

2. What a hoot!

http://pagesix.com/2014/08/17/chris-christie-busts-out-wild-dance-moves-at-hamptons-party/?_ga=1.164924799.1726271084.1408324537

[gratuitous]

3. "A big deal with the liberal media"

Yeah, because indictment of a sitting governor is such a dog-bites-man story. The only reason anyone will cover Perry's struggle to stay out of prison is because they're liberal. Ray Sullivan is onto us!