AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has spent more than $2.6 million of his state campaign funds beating a felony abuse-of-power case that he says hurt his second presidential bid.
The San Antonio Express News tallied Perry’s campaign finance filings over the past roughly 18 months. It reported Friday that about $2.65 million went to Perry’s high-powered legal team.
Perry was indicted in August 2014 on abuse of power and coercion charges, after he publicly threatened – then executed – a veto of state funding for public corruption prosecutors.
Perry called the charges a political witch hunt. But his 2016 presidential bid was short-lived, and Perry later claimed the case hurt fundraising.
Texas highest criminal court tossed the case in February. Perry’s last reported payment to attorneys came in April.
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