Courtesy of Travis County SheriffCall it a smug shot?
Texas Gov. Rick Perry was booked Tuesday on felony charges of abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public servant, the possible 2016 GOP presidential hopeful arriving at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin shortly before 5 p.m.
Part of the process, of course, involved being photographed—and the 64-year-old politician looked none the worse for wear. He barely looked troubled by his circumstances, in fact. His arraignment is scheduled for Friday.
Perry, whose supporters have more or less called the indictment a partisan witch hunt meant to mess up the governor's chance at another run for the presidency, has vowed to fight the charges.
"I'm going to enter this courthouse with my head held high, knowing the actions I took were not only lawful and legal but right," he told reporters outside, according to the Washington Post.
Apparently pleased with how it went, the governor went to get ice cream afterward!
After going through the booking process, Perry stopped for a cone at local spot Sandy's Hamburgers and tweeted a pic from his visit.
And then, ice cream cone at #Sandy's pic.twitter.com/rDYW6HvoS5
? Rick Perry (@GovernorPerry) August 19, 2014A few hours beforehand he also tweeted thanks to a number of supporters, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who had tweeted, "@GovernorPerry is a friend, he's a man of integrity – I am proud to #StandWithRickPerry."
Perry is accused of abusing his office and trying to coerce an elected official to resign after following through with a threat to veto $7.5 million in funding for the Travis County District Attorney's Office's Public Integrity Unit because D.A. Rosemary Lehmberg, a Democrat, refused to resign following a 2013 drunk driving arrest.
"I have been pretty critical of Gov Perry - but give credit where credit's due: that guy takes a GREAT mugshot!" tweeted Michael Czin, press secretary for the Democratic National Committee. He also wrote, "very presidential to give a pep rally speech before mug shots and follow it up with an ice cream party."