Texas Gov. Rick Perry has the right type of lawyers in his corner.
A bipartisan group of more than a dozen high-profile lawyers filed a brief Monday seeking to throw out felony charges against Perry for abuse of power, according to Reuters.
In the amicus brief filed at a court in Austin, the lawyers argue that two-felony count indictment against the Republican governor is constitutionally flawed.
“Reasonable people can disagree on the political tactics employed by both Governor Perry and his opponents. But to turn political disagreement into criminal prosecution is disturbing,” the brief said.
“Both counts of the indictment are unconstitutional and must be dismissed,” the brief said.
The brief was signed by the likes of Baylor University President Kenneth Starr — the independent counsel famous for investigating President Bill Clinton — and Paul Coggins, a former U.S. attorney who was appointed by Clinton.
Perry was charged in August by a grand jury for abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public official after he vetoed $7.5 million in funding for the state public integrity unit run from the district attorney’s office in Travis County.
The veto was viewed as a way to force Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg to resign after she pled guilty to drunken driving. Lehmberg is a Democrat.
Michael McCrum, the special prosecutor in the case, said the Travis County grand jury has found probable cause that Perry acted improperly in trying to force Lehmberg, who was democratically elected, out of office.
Perry, who did not seek re-election this month as he eyes another presidential run, made his first court appearance last week.
According to a RealClearPolitics average of polls, Perry is currently sixth in an 11-person field of potential 2016 Republican presidential nominees. He is four points behind leader Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.
