Story highlights The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday dismissed charges against Rick Perry that alleged the former Texas governor abused his power while in office

Perry, a two-time former GOP presidential candidate, was indicted by a grand jury in August 2014

Washington (CNN) The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday dismissed charges against Rick Perry that alleged the former Texas governor abused his power while in office.

Perry, a two-time former GOP presidential candidate, was indicted by a grand jury in August 2014 after he first threatened and then carried out a veto that defunded a statewide public integrity unit in an attempt to force a district attorney's resignation.

The case examined the state's separation-of-power provision in the Texas Constitution and a governor's veto power under the "abuse of official capacity" statute. Perry originally faced two indictments, but one was dismissed by a lower court in July.

"I'm proud to say the court upheld the law and the right of any person to speak freely without the threat of legal intimidation," the former Texas governor said during a press conference.

Perry fought the indictment, claiming that the counts were "unconstitutional."

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