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THE BORDER
2016 ELECTION
Tense conditions
On the campaign trail, again
Militias complicate situation
Rick Perry heads to New Hampshire to seek votes
By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN
By RIK STEVENS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MISSION — On a recent moonlit night, Border Patrol agents began rounding up eight immigrants hiding in and around a canal near the Rio Grande. A state trooper soon arrived to help. Then out of the darkness emerged seven more armed men in fatigues.
CONCORD, N.H. — The last time voters in New Hampshire saw Rick Perry, the Texas governor’s 2012 presidential bid had fallen apart after a series of gaffes punctuated by a much-maligned stumble during a televised debate. When he visits the key early-voting state this weekend, he’ll have a new hurdle — his indictment on abuse-ofpower charges — and much to prove to Republicans watching his handling of the matter for clues to his 2016 presidential prospects. “I don’t think (Republicans) will take the indictment so seriously but they want to see if this Rick Perry is able to contend with adversity the way the other Rick Perry was unable to,” said Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire. “The last time they saw him, he was stumbling around.” Others who agree with Perry that the indictment is politically motivated and without substance say his record in office will be their focus. “People are going to want to see what he’s saying about immigration because that’s an issue that’s certainly going to come up in the November elections,” said state senator and former Congressman Jeb Bradley. “They’re also going to want to hear why is the Texas economy one of the best in the nation and what can we learn about it here in New Hampshire.” The visit comes after a grand jury handed up the indictment Friday, charging Perry with carrying out a threat to veto $7.5 million in funding for the state’s public integrity unit after Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, a Democrat, refused to resign following a well-publicized drunken driving arrest. Perry faces charges that carry a maximum sentence of 109 years in prison. The extent to which Perry can take command of his press coverage in the politically important state will be considered by some a measure of his viability in the presidential arena. Aides have said Perry plans to maintain his public schedule, in which he’ll make a half-dozen stops in New Hampshire and later visit the key battleground states of Iowa and South Carolina. Arizona Sen. John McCain scoffed at Perry’s indictment. McCain knows New Hampshire’s voters. He captured the state’s presidential primary in 2000 and 2008 and campaigned Monday for Senate hopeful Scott Brown. “I just think it’s outrageous from everything I can tell and I think it will help him in the long run,” McCain said, suggesting Perry make repeated stops in the state. “People want to meet you more than once in New Hampshire.”
See BORDER
Photo by Christopher Sherman | AP
The main canal supplying water to the city of Mission is shown. At this spot on the night of Aug. 6, Border Patrol agents arresting immigrants mistook seven armed militia members for state troopers.
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GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
OFFICIALS BOOK PERRY
Photo by Eric Gay | AP
Gov. Rick Perry, front right, is escorted from the Blackwell Thurman Criminal Justice Center on Tuesday, in Austin. Perry has been booked on two felony counts of abuse of power for carrying out a threat to veto funding to state public corruption prosecutors.
Governor faces with abuse of power charges By WILL WEISSERT AND PAUL J. WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry was defiant as he was booked on abuse of power charges Tuesday, saying he would “fight this injustice with every fiber of my being.” The Republican, who is mulling a second presidential run in 2016, was indicted after carry-
ing out a threat to veto funding for state public corruption prosecutors. He has long called the case a political ploy, and dozens of supporters chanting his name and holding signs, some saying “Stop Democrat Games,” greeted him when he arrived at the Travis County courthouse in Austin. “I’m going to fight this injustice with every fiber of my be-
ing. And we will prevail,” Perry said before walking inside. Sheriff’s deputies confirmed that the governor was fingerprinted and had a mug shot taken before leaving a few minutes later. The longest-serving governor in Texas history was indicted last week for coercion and official oppression for publicly promising to veto $7.5 million
for the state public integrity unit, which investigates wrongdoing by elected officials and is run by the Travis County district attorney’s office. Perry threatened the veto if the county’s Democratic district attorney, Rosemary Lehmberg, stayed in office after a drunken driving conviction.
See CHARGED
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SCHOOL VIOLENCE
Web activities expose plot to target school By CHRISTOPHER WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
SOUTH PASADENA, Calif. — Investigators acting on a tip unraveled a plot to carry out a mass shooting at a suburban Los Angeles high school, arresting a pair of students who planned to target three school staffers and kill as many people as possible, police said Tuesday. School officials learned of the plot on Thursday and notified detectives, who began watching the 16- and 17-year-old boys and
monitoring their online activity, South Pasadena Police Chief Arthur Miller said. The pair didn’t have a date for an attack or weapons, but their online messaging included the names of three staffers to target and threats to randomly kill students, Miller said. They were also researching automatic firearms, handguns, knives, explosives and tactical techniques, he said. “Three or four days’ worth of surveillance on the Internet indicated that they had a very
real threat,” he said. “They had a plan in mind that they were going to execute.” The names of the teens have not been released because of their ages. Police expect to present their case to the district attorney later in the day. Miller said police interviewed the boys and realized how coldhearted the plot was. He provided no specifics, and officials at South Pasadena High School did not disclose details of the initial tip. Classes start again Thursday
in the quaint San Gabriel Valley suburb known for its quality schools and community involvement in education. Police plan to have a larger presence than usual on campus for the first day of school. School cheerleaders Zoe Bullard and Leah Schexnayder, both 16, said they were frightened by news of the arrests. “I don’t even want to go to school on Thursday, because what if something happens?” Schexnayder said. “What if they missed a per-
son?” Bullard asked about the police investigation. Miller said his officers saved lives by thwarting the attack in the town of about 25,000 people about 6 miles from downtown Los Angeles. “They were making a huge, a huge plan of a school massacre,” Miller said. “They just wanted to kill as many people as possible.” Enough evidence was gathered to serve warrants at the
See SCHOOL
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