Bail Denied, Veon Sent to Prison

Former Pennsylvania House Democratic Whip Mike Veon will spend six to fourteen years in state prison for conducting campaign work with public resources.
Judge Richard Lewis told Veon his “thirst for more power and prestige…caused him to ignore the very laws and regulations he had a hand in creating.”
Lewis said “Hard earned tax dollars were essentially prostituted for political ambition” in the tax-funded bonuses for campaign work scheme.
Veon did not testify during his winter trial, but he made a statement during the sentencing hearing.
He acknowledged making mistakes, and said he apologized.
Veon said he was proud of what he accomplished as a lawmaker, saying “I had an unusual, incredible work ethic.”
Prosecutor Marc Costanzo says even though Veon didn’t come up with the illegal bonus idea, he led the illegal effort.

"It was clearly, based on the testimony of (Michael) Manzo and (Scott) Brubaker – it was their idea. But their good idea would have gone nowhere without Veon being told about it, OKing it, and allowing them to effectuate it. And he monitored it all along."

Lewis denied bail for Veon while he appeals. The onetime legislative leader was handcuffed and led out of the courtroom at the end of the hearing.

Veon Gets 6 to 14 Years in Prison

Former Pennsylvania House Democratic Whip Mike Veon was sentenced today for his March conviction on 14 counts of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest in connection with the use of tax dollars for employees doing campaign work on state time. Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis sentenced Veon to 6 to 14 years in prison, fined him $37,000 and ordered him to pay $100,000 in restitution. The prosecution had asked for a 12 to 17 year prison term.
Prior to his sentencing, Veon told the judge "I made mistakes, I apologize."
Judge Lewis denied his request to be free on bond while he appeals.

Earlier today, Judge Lewis sentenced Veon's former aide, Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink to 3 to 6 months in jail followed by 3 months house arrest and 45 months probation. Perretta-Rosepink, who ran the district office of former Beaver County State Representative Mike Veon, was fined $8,000 and ordered to pay $25,000 in restitution. The judge said she clearly broke the law , but he didn't believe she was a central figure in the scheme to use public resources for campaign work.

Another Bonusgate Defendant Sentenced

A former legislative aide was sentenced to 3 to 6 months in the Dauphin County Jail for her conviction in the illegal bonuses scandal. Judge Richard Lewis also sentenced Anna Marie Peretta-Rosepink to 3 months house arrest and 45 months probation. Perretta-Rosepink, who ran the district office of former Beaver County State Representative Mike Veon, was fined $8,000 and ordered to pay $25,000 in restitution.
Prior to her sentencing, Perretta-Rosepink admitted that she directed employees to perform campaign work on state time. She apologized, admitted to "crossing the line," said she didn't know how to decline when she was asked to do campaign work, and then asked for leniency.
The prosecution was seeking a 19 to 44 month sentence in a state prison. Perretta-Rosepink's attorney called it a fair sentence but the prosecutor Patrick Blessington says she still hasn't accepted full responsibility.
Perreta-Rosepink was convicted in March, along with her former boss, Veon, and a former House aide Brett Cott for their roles in using state tax dollars for illegal campaign work.
Veon is being sentenced later this morning. The prosecution is seeking a sentence of 12 to 17 years. Cott began serving his 21 to 60 month sentence in May. Judge Lewis is expected to rule next week on Cott's request to reduce that sentence.

Veon Defense Tries to Punch Holes in Case

Former House Democratic Whip Mike Veon’s attorney attempted to discredit the prosecution’s key witness during day four of a legislative corruption trial in Harrisburg. Head defense attorney Dan Raynak did everything he could to muddy one-time top aide Mike Manzo’s credibility. He pointed to an important portion of Manzo’s key testimony saying the details of face-to-face conversations he allegedly had with Veon and other co-defendants about the bonuses-for-campaign work scheme wasn’t discussed with prosecutors until after Manzo had secured a plea deal, which has the potential to drastically reduce any eventual prison sentence. The questioning came to a head in the last hour of Thursday’s session, when Raynak went through each conversation Manzo had detailed during his first two days on the stand. Raynak repeatedly asked, “What day did it happen? What month? What season?” Manzo couldn’t answer. Raynak then asked whether anyone other than Manzo, Veon or co-defendant Brett Cott witnessed the conversations. Manzo said, “No.” At one point Raynak responded, “So the only person who can verify is you, a person, who, you’re not denying you’re responsible for 42 felonies?” Early on in his cross examination Raynak tried to cast doubt on the hundreds of emails the prosecution is using to make the case that Veon and three co-defendants used public resources for political purposes. Raynak alleged in his opening statement that former Minority Leader Bill DeWeese and his lawyers could have altered the emails before they were given to the Attorney General’s office. The defense’s cross-examination continues today.

Veon Trial Halted Temporarily

The four-day-old public corruption trial of former Pennsylvania House Democratic Whip Mike Veon and 3 former aides took an unexpected turn this morning. Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis ordered lawyers into his
chambers after a Veon's attorney Dan Raynak contended that the prosecution's key witness Mike Manzo changed his testimony.
The former Beaver County State Representative Veon and the other defendants are
accused of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest in alleged schemes to use tax dollars to pay for illegal bonuses to state employees for campaign work.
DUQ's Capitol Reporter Scott Detrow says Raynak was aggressive in his cross-examination of Manzo and alleged that Manzo was either lying about conversations with Veon about bonuses or the prosecution was withholding evidence. At that point, Judge Lewis had the jury removed from the courtroom. At issue is whether Manzo ever said before January that he remembered specific conversations with Veon about giving bonuses to legislative employees who worked on campaigns, among other things.
Raynak says he read the grand jury transcripts and claims Manzo did not mention the conversations with Veon until December. The prosecution said at worst Manzo may have misspoken but it's not grounds for impeachment of Manzo's testimony.

Corbett Will Continue Prosecutions

Attorney General Tom Corbett says he’s disappointed former Democratic Representative Sean Ramaley was acquitted by a Dauphin County jury last week. Over the weekend Corbett told reporters the verdict won’t have “any effect” on his corruption investigation’s other cases. After deliberating for less than three hours, a jury acquitted Sean Ramaley on all six charges he faced. That wasn’t what Corbett expected from the first trial of a long-running probe into the misuse of tax dollars for political purposes. Corbett says he believes his legal team had the evidence to win the case, “We do not bring cases if we don’t think that there’s a conviction there. That wouldn’t be fair.” One of Corbett’s opponents in the Republican gubernatorial primary, State Representative Sam Rohrer, says the Ramaley verdict brings added pressure to next month’s trials. He says, “There can’t be too many more of these without, I think, bringing into question the investigation.” The other Republican in the race, Congressman Jim Gerlach, didn’t criticize Corbett for the verdict, saying the A-G’s office is, “responsible for moving forward with the cases they think are important.”

1st Bonusgate Defendant Acquitted

The first defendant to go to trial in Attorney General Tom Corbett’s legislative corruption investigation has been acquitted on all counts.
A jury deliberated for less than three hours before delivering “not guilty” verdicts on all six counts former Democratic Representative Sean Ramaley faced.
Ramaley said he felt “vindicated” by the decision, and thanked his friends, family and legal team for sticking with him over the past year.

"This is an important day. I’ve been really humbled by the people who have stuck by me through this, through their phone calls, their emails, their letters. People who have not been afraid to come out and say they stuck by me. Those people will always have a special place in my heard."

Deputy Attorney General Anthony Krastek says his case was weakened by the fact Ramaley was tried apart from other defendants.

"Perhaps the jury didn’t get the full picture. Certainly there was a tremendous amount of character sources and we had to deal with that. Our theory was that this was not a bad man, but he got involved with a bad group of people. Apparently the jury was more thinking that he was a good man."

Several defendants have claimed Corbett’s investigation is politically motivated, and tied to his campaign for governor, but Krastek dismissed that charge.

"I have no apologies for this prosecution. I was honored to prosecute this case. It was based on the evidence as we believed it. And we didn’t get a verdict, but I’m happy with the job we did."

The trial lasted just under a week. Other Democrats, including former Whip Mike Veon, go on trial next month.

First Bonusgate Trial Begins

The first trial of an ongoing legislative corruption probe is underway in Harrisburg.
Former Beaver County Democratic Representative Sean Ramaley faces charges for allegedly collecting public dollars for a no-work state job while campaigning for office.
He’s the first of 22 defendants to go to trial in Attorney General Tom Corbett’s long running investigation of tax dollars used for political purposes.
Corbett, a Republican, is running for governor, so political scientist Christopher Borick of Muhlenberg College argues the Ramaley verdict will play a major role in the upcoming campaign.

"For an attorney general about to run for governor of Pennsylvania, and you’re touting your record, you want to actually have the results when it comes to prosecutions, and not just bringing indictments. And so that’s why I think a lot of eyes in the state are going to see these trials through a political lens."

The trial’s first day was spent on jury selection, and opening arguments may not begin until Friday. Other Democratic defendants, including former minority whip Mike Veon, are scheduled to go to trial next month.

Wagner: He & Corbett Can Do Jobs & Still Campaign

Auditor General Jack Wagner says he and Tom Corbett are capable of running for governor of Pennsylvania while keeping their day jobs.
Now that both Wagner, a Democrat, and Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett have formally declared their campaigns for governor, opponents have stepped up their criticism each time the men announce high-profile audits or charges.
Democratic candidate Tom Knox says it’s wrong to run for statewide office while holding another post, and Republican Jim Gerlach says Corbett’s legislative corruption investigation is a conflict of interest for someone who wants to be the next governor.
Wagner dismisses the complaints.

"Tom Corbett is elected at Attorney General. I’m elected as Auditor General. He’s a prosecutor, I’m a fiscal watchdog. The way I view it we’re both doing our job. That’s what the people of Pennsylvania elected us to do."

Corbett has repeatedly said he won’t step down, and he’ll keep looking into corruption charges.
His latest opponent, State Representative Sam Rohrer, says he applauds the ongoing investigation, which recently charged ten Republicans.
"Does it conflict potentially with what he’s doing? I think by the mere fact there’s been so much press and so much concern, there is a possibility, definitely, of conflicting with what he does. So he’s going to have to weigh very carefully what he and how he chooses to pursue this investigation, or what he does."

Rohrer deflected questions about whether Corbett should step down, saying that’s up to the Attorney General.

AG Files Veon Charges Again

Less than a week after a judge dismissed corruption charges against a former Democratic lawmaker, Attorney General Tom Corbett's office is refiling them but with a new court. A spokesman for the Attorney General is rejecting the idea that the dismissal of corruption charges against Beaver County Democrat Mike Veon was a political setback for Corbett, who's likely running for governor next year. Kevin Harley says Harrisburg District Judge Joseph Solomon applied a higher standard of proof than required during last week's ruling, and prosecutors want a Common Pleas judge to review the refiled charges. Harley says the dismissal wasn't a reflection on the strength of the case against Veon and his aide, Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink. “Obviously at a preliminary hearing the commonwealth doesn't present all of their exhibits, all of their witnesses or all of their evidence. Because we're not required to at a preliminary hearing,” says Harley. Perretta-Rosepink is still facing six charges, though prosecutors have now dropped nine of the 28 claims initially made against Veon. Both defendants are facing charges on theft, and conspiracy as well as other counts, for allegedly misusing taxpayer dollars awarded to the nonprofit agency Beaver Initiative For Growth. Veon's lawyer says he's confident the charges won't stand because his client has done nothing wrong. He says they're politically motivated.

Corbett: Bonusgate Continues

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett is hinting his investigation into illegal use of taxpayer dollars recently ran into some snags, but a spokesman for one of the caucuses being investigated says it's cooperating with the probe. When Corbett testified before the House Appropriations Committee, he said the next round of Bonusgate indictments would "shock the conscience." Corbett wouldn't offer many details, but implied he ran into some roadblocks over the past few months, saying, “I can say that the investigation is moving more smoothly now than it was a few months ago.” The House Republican caucus is among the groups being looked into, but spokesman Steve Miskin insists GOP lawmakers and staffers have been working with Corbett since the first reports of illegal bonuses for campaign work. He says, “From that point forward we feel we have cooperated fully with the Attorney General and with his investigation. And we will continue to do so.” House Republicans have spent $1.8 million on legal fees since the investigation began, but Miskin says hiring outside council was the right thing to do. House Democrats have spent more than $2.5 million, while Senate Republicans have paid out $1.4 million in legal bills.

Ramaley ends Campaign

Saying it is impossible for him to run a focused campaign, State Representative Sean Ramaley has filed papers to end his State Senate campaign. Ramaley is alleged to have held a do-nothing job in state representative Mike Veon’s office when Ramaley was campaigning for the house seat four years ago. Ramaley says he is innocent but the he fears the race will focus on the photograph of him being arrested rather than the issues important to the district. Ramaley says he will serve out the rest of his term as a state representative. The party has until august 15th to name a new candidate. Ramaley’s lawyer says the timing of the charges was politically motivated. The charges were filed has part of the “bonusgate” investigation.