Texas governor Rick Perry indicted; counts stem from veto threat

(CNN) -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, was indicted Friday on charges relating to his efforts to try and force a local district attorney to resign.

A Travis County grand jury handed up the charges.

The two counts against Perry, a Republican, stem from his threat to veto funding for a public integrity unit run by the DA, who had been arrested on a drunk driving charge.



Mary Anne Wiley, general counsel for Perry's office, said the "veto in question was made in accordance" with the authority "afforded to every governor" under the state's constitution.

"We will continue to aggressively defend the governor's lawful and constitutional action, and believe we will ultimately prevail," Wiley said in a statement.

The Texas Democratic Party called on Perry to immediately step down.

"The indictment today shows a failure of Governor Perry to follow the law," according to a statement from the group.




CNN's Steve Brusk, Dana Davidsen and Peter Hamby contributed to this report.