Rick Perry has a whole new problem

| 8:15 pm EST November 5, 2019
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Rick Perry has spun himself around in so many ways when it comes to the House impeachment inquiry, we’re not even entirely sure what his position is at this point. We think his current stance is that he’s willing to testify in public but not behind closed doors, though at this rate it could change again by tomorrow. In any case, it’s rapidly becoming clear that Perry has no way out of this.

When U.S. Ambassador Gordon Sondland revised his House impeachment testimony this week and admitted that he helped Donald Trump carry out an illegal quid pro quo extortion attempt against Ukraine, he essentially threw everyone else involved in the scandal under the bus. Sondland’s testimony means that Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Rick Perry, and others are now on the hook for their roles in a criminal scandal. But then Sondland kicked Perry in the face a second time.

According to the transcript, Sondland acknowledged to the House impeachment inquiry that, ahead of his testimony, he repeatedly consulted with Rick Perry. This is a huge no-no. Sondland insisted that he only did it in order to “refresh my memory.” Maybe a political neophyte like Sondland, who has never been involved in a political scandal before, can get away with admitting to having coordinated his story. But Perry, who has been in politics for decades and knows darn well how the rules of testimony work, won’t be able to float any such excuse.

In other words, Rick Perry could end up facing obstruction of justice charges after Donald Trump is gone, in addition to whatever charges Perry might face for his role in the scandal. If Perry has even half a brain, he’ll take one look at Sondland’s mea culpa today, and realize that he also needs to get in there and cooperate with the House impeachment inquiry while he still can.