Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Friday became the first Texas governor since 1917 to be indicted. He is facing charges of coercion and official oppression. Perry is a potential 2016 presidential candidate.

AUSTIN, Texas — Republican Texas Gov. Rick Perry says he is fighting a criminal indictment with the law on his side — not to mention a team of high-powered attorneys with formidable records in big cases.

His lead attorney took on BP after the Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico.

Another argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and won changes to campaign finance laws. Joining them is George W. Bush’s former lawyer during the Florida recount that decided the 2000 presidential election.

That doesn’t even include the Austin attorney who’s been paid at least $80,000 in taxpayer money since a grand jury was first seated in April to consider abuse of power allegations against Perry, a potential 2016 presidential candidate.

Now, as Perry plans trips to Washington and New Hampshire this week to continue courting GOP voters, it’s unclear how much of the tab the public will keep picking up.

“Which of these lawyers will be paid for by the state of Texas and which will be paid by other funds, whether it be a defense fund or whatnot, that hasn’t been sorted yet,” said Tony Buzbee, a Houston attorney.

Perry did not attend Monday’s unveiling of his new all-star defense team at an upscale Austin hotel. But they said the longest-serving governor in Texas history won’t hide from the charges, and promised to publicize when Perry will complete the unflattering process of being booked, fingerprinted and having his mug shot taken.

Perry on Friday became the first Texas governor since 1917 to be indicted. He is facing charges of coercion and official oppression that carry a maximum sentence of 109 years in prison for carrying out a threat to veto funding for the state’s public integrity unit last summer.

The governor has emphatically stood by his veto and denied all wrongdoing.

The judge overseeing the case, Republican Bert Richardson, decided against issuing an arrest warrant and instead granted a simple legal summons. That still means a booking is in Perry’s future.

In an e-mail Monday night, Michael McCrum, the San Antonio-based special prosecutor presenting the case against Perry, said that Friday, as well as Aug. 29, had been discussed as possible dates for an arraignment.

But he also said Perry may waive his arraignment altogether.