Beebe: No Concern Veto Could Land Him In Trouble Like Perry

Gov. Mike Beebe said Wednesday that the indictment of Texas Gov. Rick Perry stemming from his veto of funding for a public corruption unit does not make him worry that he also could be indicted after performing an official act.

“If a governor could get indicted for doing his job, that would cause a lot of concern, but … I’m withholding judgement on that because of at least the allegation that this is much bigger than that, that there’s another side to the story,” he said.

Perry’s indictment followed his veto of funding for his state’s Public Integrity Unit while demanding that its leader, Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, resign after she was arrested for drunk driving. A grand jury indictment accused Perry of abusing his official powers and trying to coerce a public servant – charges that carry potential prison terms.

Critics have said Perry was attempting to stop the Public Integrity Unit’s investigation of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, a Perry initiative, but that is not part of the indictment. Perry has said the indictment against him is politically motivated and that he was merely exercising his veto prerogative.

Perry is not the only one of Beebe’s fellow governors in legal hot water. Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, are on trial for accepting money in return for allegedly using the governor’s office to inappropriately promote a dietary supplement.

Beebe described himself as an “acquaintance” of both governors who was closer to McDonnell than Perry. McDonnell and Perry are both Republicans.

Beebe said governors tend to get along well with each other. “I think we’re all collegial like the Senate used to be,” he said. “I think governors are pretty collegial, even if we don’t agree with each other’s policies.”

Perry ran for president in 2012 and appears to be running again in 2016. Asked if he was considering running for president, Beebe, who is 67, said no. Asked if he had ever considered running for president, he replied, “Maybe when I was 12.” While he had considered it many years earlier, he said he had never seen serving as governor as a stepping stone to the White House.

“I wanted to be the governor of Arkansas and do the best job I could as (governor). I think that’s part of the reason people have accepted me as well as they have is they don’t see me trying to go do something else,” he said.