Texas Governor, now-indicted, Rick Perry has gone on the record as believing that, ultimately, taxpayers should have to foot the bill for his legal defense when it comes to his indictment on two felony counts by a federal grand jury.
Instead Perry intends to use campaign funds to pay for the legal defense. His reasoning for having taxpayers cover the defense costs arose from his entitled sense that when he performed the actions for which he will now have to answer to a jury, he was acting within his official capacity as a governor.
Thus far, no less than $80,000 have been spent that taxpayers are on the hook for in Perry’s defense.
Rick Perry is currently charged with two felony counts: abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public servant or voter. If convicted, Perry could fact many years in prison.
The charges stem from Perry’s attempts to remove Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, a Democrat, after she was arrested and pled guilty to drunk driving in 2013. He then leaned on Lehmberg to resign and threatening to veto millions in funding for the Public Integrity Unit in Lehmberg’s office.
Now Perry faces federal charges and will have to justify his actions before a jury. Fortunately, he’s chosen not to make taxpayers pay for it any more.
Joshua is a writer and researcher with Ring of Fire. You can follow him on Twitter @Joshual33.
