In 1917, Similarities to Gov. Rick Perry's Indictment

[TexasTowelie]

Nearly a century ago, a sitting Texas governor was indicted for allegedly playing politics with public money and yanking funding from an institution.

-snip-

A Travis County grand jury's allegations on Friday that Gov. Rick Perry improperly threatened to veto funding for the state's anti-corruption prosecutors marked the first time since 1917 that a Texas governor was indicted. That year, Gov. Jim "Pa" Ferguson was indicted by a Travis County grand jury on allegations that he meddled with the state's flagship university amid a squabble with its board of regents.

In Ferguson's case, he vetoed $1.8 million over two years (about $34 million in today's dollars) for the University of Texas; in Perry's case, it was $7.5 million for the public integrity unit, which is overseen by Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg. After Lehmberg pleaded guilty to drunken driving, Perry threatened to pull state funding from her office unless she resigned.

Ferguson's indictment led to impeachment by state legislators in September 1917. That's highly unlikely for Perry, a lame duck with an overwhelmingly conservative Legislature who is facing felony charges for his threat — one he made good on — to veto funding for of the unit charged with investigating public offices in Texas, including that of the governor.

Read more: http://www.texastribune.org/2014/08/17/you-couldnt-make-stuff-1917-either/

[Gothmog]

1. Good article

How are you doing?

[TexasTowelie]

3. I'm hanging in there.

I was in the crisis center for three days last weekend being held because I expressed some suicidal thoughts from a few weeks earlier in my initial psych evaluation. I wasn't actually feeling that way when I went in, but the release of emotions triggered a couple of crying spells while I was there.

I've had very irregular sleep patterns where I barely get any sleep at all for a couple of days and then finally catch up on the third or fourth day. Most of the time I end up getting a one hour nap in the afternoon. I usually have to lay down at least a couple times a day when I'm light-headed or fatigued, but don't fall asleep.

Usually some part of my body is ache or so throughout the day. It varies from sharp pains in the feet and legs, to arthritis or numbness in the hands and fingers, then the occasional abdominal and chest pains. I've also having some auditory hallucinations after I go to bed which prevent me from sleeping. One of the times was severe enough that it triggered another crying spell because I'm scared that I'm becoming schizophrenic.

I'm finally getting some help with the mental health aspects and should be in the indigent care program within the next few weeks so the financial pressure will be relieved. The documentation from the crisis center should bolster my disability claim and the next significant concern is to get an MD through the indigent care program to help document the physical aspects. Most of the people I've spoken with stated that I'm unemployable and should qualify for disability, but it is a stressful battle waiting for the determination to occur.

[DhhD]

2. I was bothered by a lie that was told on ABC Channel 8, Dallas-Fort Worth News.

Channel 8 reported, several times that Lehmberg was convicted of DWI. A conviction report inflames the situation. The reporter should issue a public apology. Lehmberg plead guilty and paid her debt to society. The rehabilitation that a Judge sentenced her to, was jail time.

The Governor spoke to Fox news and said that he would again veto, in the same situation. In my opinion, that means he should get a stiffer sentences, if convicted.

Channel 8 also did a story about how several Republicans, in a chain of command, sent the case to a Grand Jury. Will the Governor decide to blame others instead of pleading guilty like the Travis County DA did? He is supposed to surrender to any Texas county soon, according to Channel 8 News.

Since he is leaving the state to campaign most of the time, how could a county set bail, knowing that he is a flight risk? Running for President is certainly a flight risk. Keep in mind that Perry fled debates too. Taxpayers have paid for his campaigning for years. In my opinion, Perry is a flight risk, as the taxpayers as may seek to recapture the political expenses and attorney fees for someone unable to hire their own attorney. He could set up office in a jail house. An Austin, Texas jail house would be best. He could be extradited there.

[TexasTowelie]

4. You've brought up a good point about him being a flight risk.

He should be required to at least hand over his passport so he can't travel to foreign countries and if one of those vigilante groups see him on a boat in the Rio Grande--well, we know what armed vigilantes do.

[DhhD]

5. The Channel 8 news at noon today, seems to claim that Perry is not a flight risk. The report

said that Perry had a team of attorneys. The report seemed to indicate that Perry and his team would find a way to keep him out of answering to the indictment.

Where is Perry to be found on any given day? Seems like a judge has the right to say that Perry may not leave the county or state. Rick Perry does not have the right to make court decisions.

[TexasTowelie]

6. I would say that not leaving the state is appropriate for his situation.

A a crisis might develop that would require his attendance and it is part of his job. He might try to stretch it by saying it is also part of his job to leave the state to foster economic ties, but he really should be able to that via teleconference.

They usually don't put any travel restrictions on people prior to ttrial. If the judge does not place any restrictions on The Indicted One, then it does seem fitting that he wear an ankle monitor.

[DhhD]

7. The world news on ABC this evening said that Lehmberg was convicted.

In my opinion this lie makes it seem like Perry was doing something moral to rid himself and Texans of a legally elected DA. I talked about this same lie up thread coming for the local ABC news reports.

(During this same 30 minute national ABC news report, in my opinion, the news sited the Head Highway Patrolman, living in Ferguson and walking with the protesters according to their 1st Amendment right, as the Chief of Police of Fergeson. Both officers are men from a different race.)

[jsaro]

8. Lehmberg was convicted but that's irrelevant to the charges

It's true that Lehmberg pleaded guilty to the DWI charge, but that resulted in a conviction, just as if she had been convicted by a jury. There's no distinction in the law. She was absolutely right to plead guilty, because she was guilty. She served her time and did everything the court required of her. End of discussion.

Perry's claim that he carried out a threat to veto funding for the PIU because the public had "lost faith" in Lehmberg is just as reasonable and sincere as the Republicans' claim that the onerous restrictions on abortion providers and clinics is based on "concern for the health of the mother." Yeah . . . right. The right is getting away with justifying egregious abuses of power by making up a completely fake rationale that fellow traveler judges can latch onto and say, "Yeah, that's a reasonable restriction," when everyone knows it's intended for an illegal or unconstitutional purposes.

So we live in a through-the-looking-glass world. Perry's indictment is "partisan politics" to the Kool Kids, even though NOT A SINGLE DEMOCRAT was involved in the investigation and decision to bring the charges before the grand jury. You see, it doesn't matter what the facts are, it only matters what the lies are that are repeated over and over again.

Up to a point. I'm willing to bet that Perry will be convicted. A jury of twelve unbiased individuals won't have any trouble convicting under these facts. Now the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals will most likely twist the law around to get his conviction reversed. But they are total Republican tools, so you get what you elect, folks.

What is wrong with Texas? Why do they want to elect crooks, liars and thieves? I just can't understand it.

[DhhD]

9. Thanks jsaro. In the minds of the Kool Aid Kids it makes a difference that the conviction was

by self vs. a group of people sitting on a jury. You never know where a turdblossom will open up next in the State of Texas. A lot of R-blossoming occurred, in Texas, between the Ann Richards' and GWBush's gubernatorial service. Texans do not need anymore brainwashing. Calling out the media and calling out turd blossoming conservatives, is the duty of citizenship, especially in this situation.

Good reply jsaro.

Edit to add: an address, not as a link as it has a copyright about the history of carl rove.

www.dynionwym.net/NationalPolitics/Rove/Rove

Add http:// at the beginning.