A one-time top House Democratic staffer says the caucus was focused on winning back the majority between 2004 and 2006, and used a bonuses-for-campaign work scheme to help achieve that goal.
Mike Manzo, the ex-chief-of-staff to then-Minority Leader Bill DeWeese, testified he “pushed, shoved, cajoled, and begged” House Democratic staffers to volunteer on campaigns, but only a handful of aides were doing political work during their spare time. In 2004, Manzo said he approached Democratic Whip Mike Veon with the idea of paying tax-funded bonuses to staffers who volunteered, in order to incentivize other employees to do the same.
Veon and three former Democratic staffers are on trial for orchestrating the bonus scheme, in addition to other charges of theft, conflict of interest and criminal conspiracy. Manzo is cooperating with the prosecution as part of a plea deal.
