Rick Perry’s Criminal Defense Fees Now Total More Than $2 Million

Republican presidential candidate, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, walks with ten-year-old Joseph Johnson of Stratford, Iowa, during a meet and greet with local residents, Monday, July 13, 2015, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. (A... Republican presidential candidate, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, walks with ten-year-old Joseph Johnson of Stratford, Iowa, during a meet and greet with local residents, Monday, July 13, 2015, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) MORE LESS
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Republican presidential candidate and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has spent more than $2 million fighting his abuse-of-power indictment, the Texas Tribune reported Thursday.

Perry used state campaign funds to pay more than $1 million to four law firms for “legal defense” in the first half of the year, according to campaign finance documents that were made public Thursday. The Perry campaign also paid tens of thousands to a New York firm for “legal defense consulting,” according to the Tribune.

The indictment was handed down almost a year ago and alleged that Perry abused his power and coerced a public servant by threatening to veto state funding unless a district attorney stepped down after a drunk driving arrest.

Perry pleaded not guilty to the felony charges in August.

“This indictment is nothing short of an attack on the constitutional powers of the office of governor,” Perry said at a press conference after he turned himself in to be booked and have his mugshot taken at the Travis County Justice Center

Check out his full campaign finance disclosure below:

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Notable Replies

  1. I’m getting sick and tired of these GOP tyrants who feel they are above the law.

  2. Avatar for tao tao says:

    Chump change. If you want to play you have to pay. Like they say, freedom isn’t free.

  3. Like Christie this fool is “running” to get money for future court costs.

  4. How can anyone not see that the use of campaign funds for actions while in office is a blatant misuse of them? When oh when are we going to have election reform that has teeth in it to take these mothers on?

  5. "This indictment is nothing short of an attack on the constitutional powers of the office of governor,” Perry said

    Whatever I think they are at the time –

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