The special prosecutor overseeing the charges against Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) claims that the governor has been intimidating the members of the grand jury that indicted him, according to Bloomberg News.
“The defendant’s own words have instilled a concern for all persons who participated in the grand jury investigation,” special prosecutor Michael McCrum said in a Monday public filing.
A grand jury indicted Perry on abuse of office charges in August, after which Perry spoke out against the indictment.
“I am confident we will ultimately prevail, that this farce of a prosecution will be revealed for what it is, and that those responsible will be held to account,” Perry said following the indictment.
Some have interpreted that statement as intimidation.
“This comment struck many listeners as a threat against the members of the grand jury and all of those associated with the grand jury process,” McCrum said in the filing. “The state has a good faith basis to protect witnesses who appeared before the grand jury, who would similarly be in the category of those who would be ‘held accountable’ by the governor.”
Perry’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, said that the prosecutor’s claim is “just silly on its face.”
“None of that’s going on and hasn’t gone on,” he told Bloomberg News.
McCrum also claims that Perry is misusing rules to request that the indictment be thrown out. Perry’s office claims that McCrum wasn’t properly sworn in as a special prosecutor and has tried to use that to get the case tossed.
