Former Staffers Continue to Testify Against Orie

By Christina Gongaware, Contributing Writer

The trial of State Senator Jane Orie pressed on this week, mainly consisting of testimony from staffers against their former boss. Orie is facing charges of using public resources for both her campaign and that of her sister, state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin over the last decade. Though Melvin is not on trial, Janine Orie, another sister, is also being accused on two counts based on her alleged political activity in 2009.

Allegheny County Deputy District Attorney Law Claus is trying to prove that Orie made such campaigning activities a priority. To reinforce this point, Claus used an e-mail from Orie to former staffer Joseph Smith that read, “Joe you are to be making calls – all day today and tomorrow. that is priority today, tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday.”

Smith also detailed e-mails, faxes and instructions from both Orie and her chief of staff, Jamie Pavlot, that included adding people to lists of donors. Similarly, Kathleen Campbell, who still works for Orie, testified that she delivered political materials for Melvin’s campaign during work hours.

Other staff members have told jurors that they were assigned to hand out political literature and obtain petition signatures, as well as make phone calls while pretending to be Orie herself.

One former staffer, Christy Folino, said, “I didn’t know it was against the law, what we were doing, … [but] because we were told to be discreet, I knew it wasn’t right.”

The evidence introduced clashes with the argument of Orie’s attorneys, who say that this type of work was done voluntarily or on comp. time.

The trial, however, has been unable to retain the attention of juror No. 4, who was dismissed by Judge Jeffrey A. Manning on Tuesday for consistently falling asleep during the first four days of witness testimony. They have since been replaced by a female alternate.

Pavlot has been granted immunity and should begin testifying on either Thursday or Friday.

One Response

  1. Employees turn on their Employers since the days of Noah questioned by his sons.

    Everybody comes to lawmakers begging for a job, and then when they get it, they learn how much time the job entails to serve the people, and they grow cynical and ungrateful.

    The only name on that door is Senator Jane Orie and she took the time, expense, and public service to run and put her in the arena to be mocked by all, because that is part of the job.

    The Torah says, Ingratitude Is The Blackest Of Sins!

    Jane and all Lawmakers deserve better because their job never ends whether they are at church, with their families, or just attending an opera, they are confronted by citizens that need things, and Jane has to answer them.

    This is why Staff is hired and what Staff must do even after hours, but they become cowards when confronted by their own inactivity and selfish interests and thinking the know more than the name on the door, but they do have the guts to do what is necessary to put their names on those doors.

Email:
  • Will tonight's U.S. Senate debate affect your decision?


    • No. I've already decided on how to cast my vote. (81%)
    • Yes. Anxious to hear from both candidates (19%)

    Total Voters: 27

    Loading ... Loading ...
Continue to Browser

PoliticsPA

To install tap and choose
Add to Home Screen