http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/article/2556368Texas judge declines to throw out Rick Perry felony charges
BY KELLY COHEN | NOVEMBER 19, 2014 | 11:14 AM
Gov. Rick Perry's trial will continue, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Senior District Judge Bert Richardson refused to throw out the felony charges against the Texas Republican, ruling that special prosecutor Michael McCrum was properly appointed to oversee the case. Lawyers for Perry argued the charges must be dropped because McCrum failed to properly take an oath of office when he began working on the governor’s case, but Richardson did not agree.
“This court concludes that Mr. McCrum’s authority was not voided by the procedural irregularities in how and when the oath of office … was administered,” Richardson’s order said, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Richardson did not rule on the argument from Perry’s lawyers that the charges against the governor should be thrown out on constitutional grounds. The charges stem from an August indictment from a Travis County grand jury, in which Perry is accused of abuse of power and coercion of a public servant.
A RealClearPolitics average of polls places Perry sixth among 11 potential candidates, three percentage points behind the leader, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.
