Rick Perry, the Republican governor of Texas, made a show of defiance in front of a cheering crowd outside an Austin courthouse on Tuesday as he arrived to be fingerprinted and have his mugshot taken following his indictment on charges of abuse of official power and coercion of a public servant.
Media and supporters of the Texas governor gathered in downtown Austin where Perry arrived to a few jeers but mostly cheers and applause.
Perry was indicted by a grand jury in Austin last Friday over his veto of $7.5m (£4.5m) in funding to a public integrity unit headed by Rosemary Lehmberg, the district attorney for Travis County. Perry called for her resignation after she was convicted of drunk-driving in April last year and carried out the veto when she refused to step down.
Gesturing with arms aloft and speaking slowly and firmly, the governor delivered a speech in front of the entrance in which he said he would "fight this injustice with every fibre of my being" and prevail. "I'm here today because I believe in the rule of law. I'm here today because I did the right thing. I'm going to enter this courthouse with my head held high knowing the actions I took were not only lawful and legal but right," he said.
"This issue is far bigger than me, it's about the rule of law, it's about the constitution which allows not just the governor but every citizen to speak their mind free of political interference or legal intimidation. This indictment is nothing short of an attack on the constitutional powers of the office of governor. There are important fundamental issues at stake and I will not allow this attack on our system of government to stand."
Perry has met his indictment head on. He has held press conferences and given television interviews. In advance of his appearance on Tuesday his office gave details of where and when he would appear for processing.
The two charges Perry faces carry a maximum prison sentence together of 109 years. He has strongly insisted that he acted within the law and has assembled a formidable legal team – part-funded by taxpayer money – to fight the accusations.
Perry said that he lost confidence in Lehmberg, a Democrat, after her arrest and conviction. Embarrassing video of her aggressive behaviour towards officers is certain to be a central plank of his defence. Perry and his supporters also argued the prosecution was an attempt by Democrats to criminalise what amounted to standard political tactics. "This is nothing more than banana republic politics," one of Perry's lawyers, Tony Buzbee, told a press conference on Monday.
Perry's critics have said that his veto threat was illegal and that at the time the anti-corruption unit was investigating a scandal-hit Texas cancer research institute with close ties to the governor. The 64-year-old's arraignment is set for Friday morning, though he is not obliged to make a personal appearance in court.
Perry said in July 2013 that he would not seek re-election as governor and would be stepping down next January after 14 years. But he has spent much of this year appearing to lay the groundwork for a second bid for the White House in 2016: attempting an image makeover, travelling the country to engage with Republican grassroots voters and appearing frequently on television to urge strong action over the border crisis and to trumpet Texas's economic successes.
"At least in the near term this puts a serious doubt about his electability and his credibility," said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political scientist at the University of Houston who has written on the dynamics of political scandals.
Rottinghaus said that becoming embroiled in distracting legal trouble was a particular worry for Perry as he now needed to be perceived as solid and reliable, given that his previous bid to win the Republican nomination for the 2012 presidential election fell apart amid high-profile mistakes.
However, some senior Republican figures have rallied around Perry. Rottinghaus said that Perry's legal problems could yet become a political asset, generating sympathy and allowing him to emphasise themes he had also stressed during the border crisis: firm, decisive government and respect for the rule of law.
"It might help him to generate support among Republicans who view the Democratic machine as out to get Republican presidential candidates," said Rottinghaus. "It could be that this helps Perry to build support among the base that he desperately needs."
