Perry Assembles Legal All-Star Team To Defend Coercion Charges

To defend against an indictment levied against him by the state, Texas Gov. Rick Perry quickly assembled a high-profile legal team, including Tony Buzbee, the Houston attorney who won millions for clients suing BP after the 2010 Gulf oil spill disaster. Also on the team isBobby Burchfield, who argued before the Supreme Court in favor of dismantling campaign finance laws,and Ben Ginsburg, who represented George W. Bush in the 2000 Florida recall case. Perry was charged last week with coercion and official oppression, charges that could carry a maximum sentence of 109 years in prison. The case arises from Perry’s threat and then veto of funding for the state’s public integrity unit last year.