Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, is no longer permitted to carry a concealed handgun after being slapped with a felony indictment for alleged abuse of power, according to state law. Further, federal law also apparently prohibits the governor from purchasing firearms or ammunition.
The Austin American-Statesman brings up the federal law referred to as 18 USC 922(n):
“It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or otherwise dispose of any firearm or ammunition to any person knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that such person (1) is under indictment for, or has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.”
Perry, who previously claimed he shot a coyote with a concealed firearm while jogging in 2010, is supposed to have his state-issued concealed carry license revoked if he still has one — at least until his case is concluded.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry talks with reporters after speaking to a group of business leaders, Friday Aug. 22, 2014 in Portsmouth, N.H. Perry, visiting the nation's earliest presidential primary state, said he has not decided if he will run for president again, but if he does he said voters can expect a different candidate. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
Assuming Perry’s concealed carry permit has been or will be revoked, he can “reapply two years after the date of revocation,” Reuters reports.
The governor is not, however, required to turn over his firearms and can carry any of his handguns while at his home, according to Texas state law.
Though Perry and his allies have dismissed the charges against him as lacking in merit, the Texas governor faces up to 109 years in jail if convicted of the first-degree felony charge of abuse of official capacity and third-degree felony charge of correction of a public official. He has entered a not guilty plea to both charges.
Perry was indicted after he followed through on a threat to veto funding for state public corruption prosecutors after Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg was arrested and convicted for drunken driving.
"I'm going to fight this injustice with every fiber of my being. And we will prevail," Perry said earlier this month before being booked in Austin.
