HARRISBURG — State Rep. Bill DeWeese, the former House Majority Leader, evoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination this morning in a private meeting with the judge presiding over the corruption trial of his onetime legislative colleague Mike Veon.
Lawyers for Veon had subpoenaed DeWeese as a defense witness and had planned to call him to the stand as early as this week.
But early today, before the court session started, DeWeese and his attorney William Costopoulos were seen entering the Dauphin County Courthouse just blocks from the Capitol. Sources confirmed that DeWeese took the Fifth Amendment in Judge Richard A. Lewis’ chambers.
DeWeese (D., Greene) was charged separately by Attorney General Tom Corbett’s office in December for allegedly using state resources for campaign purposes. But the charges do not deal specifically with the bonus allegations at the heart of the case against Veon, now in its sixth week.
Veon’s attorneys, however, have painted DeWeese, who has served in the House for three decades, including a two-year stint as Speaker in the 1990s, as the man behind the cash-for-campaigning scheme.
Dan Raynak, one of Veon’s attorneys, refused comment on the matter, during a morning break in the trial.
Veon, a former Beaver County legislator, and three former top aides are charged with theft and related counts for awarding $1.4 million in government bonuses to legislative aides as rewards for working on political campaigns on state time.
Tags: Bill DeWeese, Bonusgate, Mike Veon
Loading ...
