HARRISBURG – At least nine Democratic state representatives could testify in the public-corruption trial of one of their former colleagues, depending on how the judge rules after a courtroom debate yesterday.
Defense attorneys in the public corruption trial of former Rep. Mike Veon (D., Beaver) and three ex-aides want to question the lawmakers and legislative staff aides. This week, Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis threw out subpoenas issued to state Senate and House Republicans, but has not ruled on the House Democrats.
The witness issue will have to be resolved by Monday, when defense attorneys are expected to begin putting on their case in the theft, conspiracy, and conflict-of-interest trial of Veon and his former aides Brett Cott, Steve Keefer, and Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink.
Veon attorney Dan Raynak wants to call to the stand Democratic Reps. Joe Preston, Dan Frankel, David Levdansky, Marc Gergely, and Jake Wheatley, all of Allegheny County; Bill DeWeese of Greene County; Mike Sturla of Lancaster County, Jim Wancasz of Lackawanna County, and Majority Leader Todd Eachus of Luzerne County. Raynak also named four caucus lawyers, former Reps. Steve Stetler (D., York) and Dan Surra (D., Clearfield), and about a dozen legislative aides.
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