Perry appears in court, says case won’t affect 2016 run

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) on Thursday appeared in court for the first time since being indicted for allegedly abusing veto power, but he said the proceedings would not affect a possible presidential run.

{mosads}Speaking to reporters after his court appearance in Austin, Texas, Perry was asked if the case could interfere with a presidential bid.

“We multitask rather well, as I have for lots of years, and it is part of the rule of law. I respect that. I’m going to follow it,” Perry said. “But from the standpoint of deflecting me from doing my duties as governor, or any other responsibilities, or for that matter activities that I might be involved in, it is not.”

Perry ran for president in 2012 but fell from the leading pack amid stumbles, such as his infamous “oops” moment at a debate. He is mentioned as a possible 2016 contender as well. 

As for whether the case is hindering his ability to do his job, Perry pointed to the surge of unaccompanied children arriving at the border, when he clashed with the White House and sent National Guard troops to the border, and to the case of Ebola in Dallas.  

“We’ve had multiple issues of pretty major size and scope to deal with, whether it was securing the border of Texas and Mexico with our law enforcement and our National Guard troops, or whether it’s been dealing with the issue of Ebola,” Perry said. “So, I think we have handled all those rather well as we have this legal proceeding that’s going on, so I don’t have any question about being able to multitask and to get things done.”

Perry was indicted on felony charges in August for allegedly abusing his veto power to force the resignation of a Democratic prosecutor.

Perry threatened to veto funding for the public corruption unit under Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, unless she resigned after a drunk driving arrest. She did not resign, and Perry vetoed the funding.

Prosecutors say the threat was abuse of his official capacity and coercion of a public servant. 

Perry stood by his actions at the time, calling the indictment politically motivated. He reiterated that stance Thursday.

“I’m here today to restate the lawful, constitutional authority of a governor to use his or her veto authority,” he told reporters. “I stand behind that veto, and I would make that veto again.”

At the hearing on Thursday, Perry’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, argued that the special prosecutor improperly filed paperwork in the case, The Dallas Morning News reports.

“It should be a slam dunk to dismiss this case,” Buzbee said.