It seems that what led a Texas grand jury to indict GOP Texas Gov. Rick Perry was the way he went about defunding the state's public integrity justice system unit.
In Texas, that unit is under the prosecutorial control of the DA in Travis County, a Democratic stronghold.
We'll see if what Perry did was a criminal overreach and coercive misuse of his budget veto power, but manipulating processes involving public officials' conduct or access to the justice system sure does sound familiar, Bucky.
Remember that Republicans in the state legislature stripped the DA in Dane County of the power to prosecute legislators where alleged infractions occured and moved such probes or charges to a legislators' home, and presumably more friendly turn.
That's how former GOP Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen got his retrial in the pay-to-play-caucus scandal eventually moved from Dane County, site of his first trial and guilty verdict to his home turf in Waukesha County, and a final tap-on-the wrist deal that involved no jail - - unlike other defendants.
Legislators have also denied to the public the right to challenge the constitutionality of Legislative actions in Dane County Circuit Court, the traditional venue for actions that the Legislature takes just a few blocks away.
Details, here.
So GOP legislators have not gone to exactly the lengths to Perry which is accused of going, but, in the end, with the similar effect: twisting the system to minimize the chances that wrong-doing will be vitorously investigated and prosecuted.
In Texas, that unit is under the prosecutorial control of the DA in Travis County, a Democratic stronghold.
We'll see if what Perry did was a criminal overreach and coercive misuse of his budget veto power, but manipulating processes involving public officials' conduct or access to the justice system sure does sound familiar, Bucky.
Remember that Republicans in the state legislature stripped the DA in Dane County of the power to prosecute legislators where alleged infractions occured and moved such probes or charges to a legislators' home, and presumably more friendly turn.
That's how former GOP Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen got his retrial in the pay-to-play-caucus scandal eventually moved from Dane County, site of his first trial and guilty verdict to his home turf in Waukesha County, and a final tap-on-the wrist deal that involved no jail - - unlike other defendants.
Legislators have also denied to the public the right to challenge the constitutionality of Legislative actions in Dane County Circuit Court, the traditional venue for actions that the Legislature takes just a few blocks away.
Details, here.
So GOP legislators have not gone to exactly the lengths to Perry which is accused of going, but, in the end, with the similar effect: twisting the system to minimize the chances that wrong-doing will be vitorously investigated and prosecuted.
I's jest funnin' wit y'all! Those wimmen libbers jest ain't got no sense of humor etall.
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