Perry Lawyers Vow to ‘Prevail’ After Indictment

ABC/Matthew Putney(AUSTIN, Texas) — Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s legal team Monday vowed to fight the felony charges the governor faces for threatening to veto public funding and calling for the resignation of the head of the state’s public integrity unit following her public drunk driving arrest.

“Governor Perry will fight this indictment 100 percent, and at the end of the day he will prevail,” said lead attorney Tony Buzbee.

Perry will be arraigned August 29, according to the Travis County Courts, the same day he is scheduled to appear at an Americans for Prosperity event in Dallas.

In 2013, Perry publicly threatened to withhold $7.5 million in funding for the state’s public integrity unit, which investigates corruption, unless Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg resigned following her DUI bust.

For the statement and the veto, a grand jury charged Perry last week with abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public official, which together carry a maximum sentence of 109 years.

The team, which includes Bush recount attorney Ben Ginsberg, called the challenge “beyond the pale” and said the governor was legally entitled to use his veto power and speak freely against Lehmberg.

Perry has stood by his actions and said he would repeat the veto.

The state of Texas will pay for “part” of Perry’s legal defense, Perry’s team said, adding that the governor’s booking will be public but that the date has not yet been confirmed.

The legal team, which also includes David Botsford, the governor’s general counsel, and attorney Bobby Burchfield, showed video clips of Lehmberg resisting arrest.

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