Bush, Perry Rift Roots In Nixed In-Law Appointment
AUSTIN (AP) – So what's at the heart of the rift between Texas Gov. Rick Perry and his predecessor, George W. Bush?
It seems that when Bush was governor, he refused to appoint Perry's brother-in-law to the Texas appeals court bench.
With Perry now running for president, the spotlight is shining on the tense relationship between the two Texans and their allied camps.
The spat goes back to 1995.
Perry was the state's agricultural commissioner and Bush was the newly sworn-in governor.
Perry lobbied for the appointment of his wife's brother, Joseph E. Thigpen, to an appeals court vacancy. Bush turned him down.
It's unclear whether bad blood between Perry and Bush could make it harder for Perry to attract large donors in Texas and around the country who once backed Bush.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
