As no doubt you have heard, on Friday a Travis County Grand Jury (that's Austin for you non-Texans) indicted sitting Governor Rick Perry with two counts of "abuse of power" over a line item budget veto. His alleged crime centers around Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, head of the Public Integrity Unit who Perry demanded resign after she was arrested, pled guilty, and served her time for DWI while serving as head of the "Public Integrity Unit".
On April 13/14, 2013, District Attorney Lemberg was minding her own business drifting back and forth over several lanes on a major thoroughfare in Austin, Texas. A concerned citizen who did not want to die, informed the cops who stopped her for suspicion of "driving while intoxicated".
Okay, because actions speak louder than words and because it is so darn entertaining, here are the videos of Lehmberg's field sobriety test and subsequent booking at the police station. Keep in mind this is a person who is charge of the "Public Integrity Unit". I have got to applaud the cop administering the test. He should win some kind of commendation for patience...
And her subsequent booking at the police station where she had to be physically restrained for being threatening and belligerent. [I mean, almost Hannibal Lector restrained...]
Yeah, my personal favorite is the insistence that she only had two glasses of wine so she couldn't possibly be drunk. Judging by her obvious stumbling, slurring, and other "tells", I am guessing that the wine glass must have looked something like this:
The blood test showed that her blood alcohol level was at .239, three times the legal limit.
There are ten things that you should know:
1. Governor Perry repeatedly demanded that Lehmberg resign because of her DWI and subsequent jail time.
2. When Lehmberg would not resign, he threatened to use his power of the line item veto to defund her department (Public Integrity Unit) and then made good on his threat.
3. The Governor of Texas (not just Perry) has the State Constitutional power of the line item veto.
4. Travis County District Attorney is an elected position.
5. Ms. Lehmberg is a very blue Democrat.
6. Austin/Travis County is the bluest county in the state.
7. If Lehmberg resigned, Perry had the authority to appoint someone to fill her position,
8. In a political attack ad by Wendy Davis, Dem candidate for Governor, it was alluded that the Public Integrity Unit was or should be investigating Perry and current Republican candidate for Governor candidate Greg Abbott for misuse of funds related to a grant to a cancer treatment center.
9. Wendy Davis is trailing Greg Abbott by double digits.
10. "Public Integrity Unit" is a wonderfully classic Orwellian name for a government investigative unit.
ADDENDUM
#11. I should add that Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg has not resigned...
Those are the basic facts. [Okay, #10 is just my opinion.] Now put all that together and come up with a reason that this is not purely political and why Perry should be sent to prison. I know you have thoughts. So let's hear them.
On April 13/14, 2013, District Attorney Lemberg was minding her own business drifting back and forth over several lanes on a major thoroughfare in Austin, Texas. A concerned citizen who did not want to die, informed the cops who stopped her for suspicion of "driving while intoxicated".
Okay, because actions speak louder than words and because it is so darn entertaining, here are the videos of Lehmberg's field sobriety test and subsequent booking at the police station. Keep in mind this is a person who is charge of the "Public Integrity Unit". I have got to applaud the cop administering the test. He should win some kind of commendation for patience...
And her subsequent booking at the police station where she had to be physically restrained for being threatening and belligerent. [I mean, almost Hannibal Lector restrained...]
Yeah, my personal favorite is the insistence that she only had two glasses of wine so she couldn't possibly be drunk. Judging by her obvious stumbling, slurring, and other "tells", I am guessing that the wine glass must have looked something like this:
The blood test showed that her blood alcohol level was at .239, three times the legal limit.
There are ten things that you should know:
1. Governor Perry repeatedly demanded that Lehmberg resign because of her DWI and subsequent jail time.
2. When Lehmberg would not resign, he threatened to use his power of the line item veto to defund her department (Public Integrity Unit) and then made good on his threat.
3. The Governor of Texas (not just Perry) has the State Constitutional power of the line item veto.
4. Travis County District Attorney is an elected position.
5. Ms. Lehmberg is a very blue Democrat.
6. Austin/Travis County is the bluest county in the state.
7. If Lehmberg resigned, Perry had the authority to appoint someone to fill her position,
8. In a political attack ad by Wendy Davis, Dem candidate for Governor, it was alluded that the Public Integrity Unit was or should be investigating Perry and current Republican candidate for Governor candidate Greg Abbott for misuse of funds related to a grant to a cancer treatment center.
9. Wendy Davis is trailing Greg Abbott by double digits.
10. "Public Integrity Unit" is a wonderfully classic Orwellian name for a government investigative unit.
ADDENDUM
#11. I should add that Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg has not resigned...
Those are the basic facts. [Okay, #10 is just my opinion.] Now put all that together and come up with a reason that this is not purely political and why Perry should be sent to prison. I know you have thoughts. So let's hear them.
Perry is a Republican, all Republicans are corrupt, therefore Perry is corrupt and should go to jail.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, with Scott Walker and Rick Perry both being investigated by Democrat prosecutors I suspect an investigation of and possible indictment against Jeb Bush for... something is coming soon.
ReplyDeleteThat footage is hilarious. This ridiculous, political prosecution might strengthen Perry on the national stage a bit, though I would be extremely shocked if he got the nomination given his propensity for tripping over his tongue.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that the national media is not really jumping on this, in fact CBS this morning was really going on that it was just political and the Dims were just doing this for political points..rather odd for CBS. I think Perry is the kind of person I like to drink with...A&M graduate, Air Force pilot, likes to hunt and fish..and wow the history of his family is impressive.....we're probably related...
ReplyDeleteKit - Yes, rampant Republican corruption is true especially in an election year in Texas where the Dem candidate is lagging behind in the polls by double digits. If Wendy's not talking abortion rights, she's got nothing to say.
ReplyDeleteOh, btw, Kit, Perry and Walker are not alone in being "investigated". NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo is being investigated but by the Feds for corruption too, but this time it's serious. It's the US Attorney of the State of NY Southern District (my personal hero) Preet Barara. The same guy that's put about 25 other NY elected officials behind bars. So Cuomo is actually being investigated for real corruption, not just politically motivated and well timed accusations.
ReplyDeleteAnthony - That is why I had to post those videos. It is hilarious and pathetic. To me, this would have been the time for Rosemary to shut the hell up, take her medicine and quietly resign to save her political career with that ubiquitous excuse of "unforeseen family issues that need her attention". Because I would be bet you money that Perry contacted her privately to ask for her resignation before going public. Look, we all love second chances in this country and in Texas when our elected officials accept their own failings [See: Bill Clinton], but she will be a laughingstock forever. I am guessing the police department wouldn't have taped her after the initial field sobriety test if she hadn't become a danger to them. They were protecting themselves from false accusations of police brutality as well as physical harm.
ReplyDeleteBev, This is one of those things that is still shocks me about Texas. They seem to treat the criminal justice system as a political tool. They really need to change that.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, Texas has a lot less corruption than NY!
BTW, she's a nasty drunk, isn't she?
ReplyDeleteCritch - I am surprised too. I mean the indictment dropped at the perfect time - Friday late afternoon - to maximize discussion on all of the weekend pundit shows. It laid an egg and even David Axelrod said it looked purely political.
ReplyDeleteI like Perry. He's 100% Texan. And since he is the only Republican to serve 3 1/2 terms as Texas governor ever, that says something. And he was just on of 7 Republican Governors in the entire history of Texas. Texans don't suffer fools. And all you have to do is look at the economy of Texas to see why he is so popular in Texas and so reviled by the Democrats nationwide.
But I don't really think I would want him to President. I think that he is doing a great job in urbanizing himself and polishing his images after his disastrous try for 2012. I just don't think that the country at large is ready for another Texas President. But we'll see.
Bev, It seemed like Perry was finished at 2012, but he's done a remarkable job of rehabilitating his image. I will be very curious to see if he can make himself into a player in the Presidential election in 2016.
ReplyDeleteAndrew - Hey, if the politicians in the state can't use the criminal justice system against their political enemies, what good are the laws, right?
ReplyDeleteI think this is a fight Perry wants - he can become a national hero to Republicans, many independents and even a lot of Democrats with stories like this one.
ReplyDeleteHis stand on illegal immigration this past year was red meat and this is a side dish. There'll be more to come as dems try to take him down and I think he'll win those fights.
The more this sort of thing happens, the better he looks for the Presidency.
At 5pm, Austin time (CST), Gov. Rick Perry will turn himself into authorities.
ReplyDeleteLINK
"The governor is expected to be processed quickly and to leave. He is not subject to an arrest warrant."
He will be fingerprinted and given a mugshot.
If Rick Perry is doing what I think he's doing, I expect he will use the mugshot to hammer the Democrats on this. If this indictment was done to hurt Rick Perry, it looks like it might seriously backfire. It might just hand him the Presidency.
Even Slate seems to think this prosecution is going to fail. Only a few lefties think it will be successful or that it is good.
Kit - That's new. I read yesterday that Perry was not going need to appear this week. The prosecutor, Perry's counsel and the Judge were going to meet to choose a date. I am guessing Perry said he'd go because he wants that photo op...
ReplyDeleteRick Perry's PAC has released a 2min video called "Setting the Record Straight". Its pretty good.
ReplyDeleteLINK
"I am guessing Perry said he'd go because he wants that photo op..."
ReplyDeleteThat was my guess as well.
He will appear in court this Friday, by the way.
Okay, this is how the NYT started off with their defense of Rick Perry...
ReplyDeleteGov. Rick Perry of Texas is one of the least thoughtful and most damaging state leaders in America, having done great harm to immigrants, abortion clinics and people without health insurance during his 14 years in office. But bad political judgment is not necessarily a felony, and the indictment handed up against him on Friday — given the facts so far — appears to be the product of an overzealous prosecution.
it actually goes up from there. By "most damaging" probably doesn't include the economic health of the State of Texas...but whatevs.
Is Gov. Rick Perry’s Bad Judgment Really a Crime?
Regarding Cuomo, I can remember when a prosecuting attorney would have thought twice about going after someone of Italian heritage in NY. You would forever be wanting someone else to start your car.
ReplyDeleteNY lost 150 high paying jobs by running Remington Arms out of their state...welcome to the South, Remington, Beretta, Ruger, et al.
Remington Arms was one of the oldest gun manufacturers in the US. It opened in 1816 and it seems it will close in NY almost 200 years to the day. What is stupid is that upstate NY is already hurting for jobs and all our Governor and Legislature can do is lose more.
ReplyDeleteActually, I am mistaken. They are just moving two of their assembly lines to Alabama. But the sentiment is the same...more jobs lost for NY...
ReplyDeleteSadly, this is what has become of Democrat politics. Hopefully, this thing will Perry will be quickly disposed of, and this skag will be promptly retired from public office.
ReplyDeleteBev, What I find stupid about New York is that they are trying to attract business with promises of tax cuts, but they don't get that applying tax cuts to all their existing businesses would help too.
ReplyDeleteAndrew - Yeah, that is the biggest complaint from NY small business owners. Why can't they get a break. And what's worse is the NYC City counsel and newish Mayor are poised to raise the minimum wage to $15 thinking that it will have no effect to business owners.
ReplyDeleteAnd the "tax cuts" are for a very specific area - around colleges and universities - or for film/tv production companies. Yeah, the governor approved tax incentives and breaks to get Jimmy Fallon to bring "The Tonight Show" back to NYC. Like Fallon who already lives in NYC really needed any incentive. But it created 10's of 10's of jobs! And now production companies are begging for the same tax breaks. Aren't these the same people who keep screaming about "corporate welfare"?
The college/university tax breaks I'm guessing are to create job opportunities for college grads.
The reasoning they use is insane: Its ok to veto but its illegal to threaten to veto. WTF?!
ReplyDeleteIn other news, the Travis County Sheriff's Office reported that Logic has filed criminal charges of abuse and assault against the Travis County DA's office.
Bev, No doubt Jimmy Fallon's presence is the lynchpin which holds New York together.
ReplyDeleteI just find it insane that places like New York even function at this point.
I love the line "you people have ruined my political career"
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the police forced you to drink 7 Jaegars and drive home...
Typical liberal problem of not taking personal responsibility.