Texas governor Rick Perry was indicted on first-degree felony abuse of power charges by a grand jury on Friday.
Perry is also accused of coercion of a public servant, a third-degree felony. If convicted, he faces five to 99 years on the first-degree felony, and two to 10 years on the second charge.
The indictment stems from Perry's reaction to the April 2013 DWI conviction of Travis County Democratic District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg. Lehmberg oversees her office's Public Integrity Unit, which investigates political corruption allegations throughout the state.
Perry called for Lehmberg's resignation after her arrest, but she refused. He then announced that he would line-item veto funding for her office as long as she remains at its helm.
"Despite the otherwise good work the Public Integrity Unit's employees, I cannot in good conscience support continued state funding for an office with statewide jurisdiction at a time when the person charged with ultimate responsibility of that unit has lost the public's confidence," Perry said.
Perry followed through with his threat in June 2013, cutting off millions of dollars in annual state funding to Lehmberg's office.
The Texans for Public Justice watchdog group said Perry's actions were illegal and unethical.
"The governor was using his office, and the power of his office, in threatening to use one of his official acts to try to coerce a member of the public, in this case a duly elected Travis County District Attorney, to give up her job," director Craig McDonald said.
The group filed an ethics complaint with the Public Integrity Unit, but Lehmberg recused herself. Special prosecutor Michael McCrum has picked up the case.
"I took into account the fact that we're talking about a governor of a state—and a governor of the state of Texas, which we all love," he stated. "Obviously that carries a lot of importance. But when it gets down to it, the law is the law."
The governor's office maintains that Perry did not nothing wrong.
"The veto in question was made in accordance with the veto authority afforded to every governor under the Texas Constitution," a statement from Perry's general counsel, Mary Anne Wiley, read, according to The Blaze. "We will continue to aggressively defend the governor's lawful and constitutional action, and believe we will ultimately prevail."
Perry has served as governor of Texas for nearly 14 years—the longest gubernatorial term in Texas history. He is not seeking re-election this November.
