August 15, 2014 7:42 PM

HK: Six quick down and dirty post-indictment observations

The firmament has just shifted but it is premature to draw any conclusions; is Ken Paxton next?

First, we should all remember that while Tom DeLay may ultimately prevail in his appeals, a Travis County grand jury ended his political career. What may be the fundamental difference in the Rick Perry matter is that there was no video in the DeLay trial comparable to that of the arrest of Travis County DA Rosemary Lehmberg and her reprehensible behavior. Perry has a gift with which to build his narrative and may not be damaged among Republican primary voters.

However, the second inescapable conclusion is that Rick Perry’s presidential bid fund-raising just came to a halt. All the para-military photo optics on the border have just been neutered. Rick Perry’s fundraising ambitions have just shifted from a campaign war-chest to building a legal defense fund.

By Harvey Kronberg