Pennsylvania's high court says state senator Janie Orie of McCandless should be allowed to argue that a new trial on public corruption charges would constitute double jeopardy.
The state Supreme Court ruled 6-to-0 Thursday that Superior Court should consider Orie's claim that she should not be subject to a second trial on charges tat she misused her public office for campaign purposes.
Orie's sister, Justice Joan Orie Melvin, didn't participate in the decision. The charges allege that Sen. Orie and a third sister conspired to use public assets to support campaigns for both the senator and the judge.
The high court order says the lower Superior Court should consider whether retrial should be barred on grounds that include the trial judge declaring a mistrial without considering less drastic measures. The mistrial was declared after it appeared that fraudulent documents were among those presented to the jury.
Showing posts with label Jane Orie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jane Orie. Show all posts
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Orie Retrial October 3
The retrial of Republican State Senator Jane Orie of Pittsburgh's North Hills and her sister, Janine Orie, on public corruption charges has been postponed until October. Responding to a joint request by the prosecution and the defense, Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning delayed jury selection until October 3.
The two sides want the extra time so that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court can resolve an appeal by Senator Orie. She wants the high court to toss out the case claiming a retrial would violate double jeopardy standards. If the justices rule the retrial should proceed, the senator wants Judge Manning removed.
Manning declared a mistrial March 3 saying that a fraud had been perpetrated on the court. Manning agreed with prosecutors that 2 defense exhibits used to undermine a key prosecution witness had been forged. Manning called it "deceitful, dishonest, despicable, and it's a crime." Manning told defense attorney William Costopoulos that he was not accusing him of anything but "I think you ought to look in your own house for the culprit."
That prompted prosecutors to have more than two dozen other defense exhibits examined by government experts to determine if they are forgeries as well.
The Orie sisters are accused of using the senator's legislative staff to do campaign work for the senator and a third sister State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin, who is likely to recuse herself from the appeal.
The two sides want the extra time so that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court can resolve an appeal by Senator Orie. She wants the high court to toss out the case claiming a retrial would violate double jeopardy standards. If the justices rule the retrial should proceed, the senator wants Judge Manning removed.
Manning declared a mistrial March 3 saying that a fraud had been perpetrated on the court. Manning agreed with prosecutors that 2 defense exhibits used to undermine a key prosecution witness had been forged. Manning called it "deceitful, dishonest, despicable, and it's a crime." Manning told defense attorney William Costopoulos that he was not accusing him of anything but "I think you ought to look in your own house for the culprit."
That prompted prosecutors to have more than two dozen other defense exhibits examined by government experts to determine if they are forgeries as well.
The Orie sisters are accused of using the senator's legislative staff to do campaign work for the senator and a third sister State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin, who is likely to recuse herself from the appeal.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Signature "Fraud" Probe? D-A Won't Say
A legal expert is predicting charges will be filed in connection to allegedly forged documents presented as evidence in state Senator Jane Orie’s corruption trial.
A jury was in its first full day of deliberations, when prosecutors brought the possibly phony signatures to Judge Jeffrey Manning’s attention. The Allegheny County judge declared a mistrial, telling jurors a “fraud [had] been perpetrated.” The signature of former Orie Chief of Staff Jamie Pavlot was apparently cut and pasted onto memos detailing standards for travel reimbursement, comp time, and the barring of campaign work within the office. When cross-examined, Pavlot testified she had never seen the documents; Orie’s lawyer, Bill Costopoulos, ridiculed her for that during his closing argument.
University of Pittsburgh law professor John Burkoff, who’s been following the case, said he’s confident the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office will investigate. “There are lots of possibilities with respect to fraud, or tampering of evidence, or other kinds of obstruction of justice,” he said. “What they need to know, if they can, is to find out two things: 1) who did this? And 2) who else knew about it?”
A spokesman for the DA’s office declined to comment, citing a gag order surrounding the case. Burkoff went on to call the alleged forgeries “stunning,” saying, “Not only do you have something that looks like it is criminal. But it looks like it is stupid criminality, as well. This is pretty amazing. It’s like it’s out of the movies.”
Orie’s re-trial has been rescheduled for April 11. That date will likely be pushed back, since Costopoulos is already promising to appeal the decision, on the grounds of double jeopardy laws.
A jury was in its first full day of deliberations, when prosecutors brought the possibly phony signatures to Judge Jeffrey Manning’s attention. The Allegheny County judge declared a mistrial, telling jurors a “fraud [had] been perpetrated.” The signature of former Orie Chief of Staff Jamie Pavlot was apparently cut and pasted onto memos detailing standards for travel reimbursement, comp time, and the barring of campaign work within the office. When cross-examined, Pavlot testified she had never seen the documents; Orie’s lawyer, Bill Costopoulos, ridiculed her for that during his closing argument.
University of Pittsburgh law professor John Burkoff, who’s been following the case, said he’s confident the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office will investigate. “There are lots of possibilities with respect to fraud, or tampering of evidence, or other kinds of obstruction of justice,” he said. “What they need to know, if they can, is to find out two things: 1) who did this? And 2) who else knew about it?”
A spokesman for the DA’s office declined to comment, citing a gag order surrounding the case. Burkoff went on to call the alleged forgeries “stunning,” saying, “Not only do you have something that looks like it is criminal. But it looks like it is stupid criminality, as well. This is pretty amazing. It’s like it’s out of the movies.”
Orie’s re-trial has been rescheduled for April 11. That date will likely be pushed back, since Costopoulos is already promising to appeal the decision, on the grounds of double jeopardy laws.
2nd Trial for Orie, Defense Claims Double Jeopardy
April 11 is the date for a new trial in the public corruption case against Republican State Senator Jane Orie but that is expected to be postponed because of defense appeals. Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning also gave the defense until March 25 to file appeals. Orie's attorney William Costopoulos has already promised to appeal claiming a second trial would amount to double jeopardy.
Costopoulos disagrees with Manning's decision Thursday to declare a mistrial after ruling the defense introduced two forged documents to undercut the credibility of the key witness, Orie's former chief of staff, Jamie Pavlot. The judge halted jury deliberations when the prosecution called his attention to the signatures on the defense documents. Manning called it "deceitful, dishonest, despicable, and it's a crime." Manning told Costopoulos that he was not accusing him of anything but "I think you ought to look in your own house for the culprit."
Orie is charged with using her state paid staff to do campaign work and with conspiring with her sister, Janine Orie, to have the staff also work on the 2009 campaign of a third sister, state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin, who is not charged.
Costopoulos disagrees with Manning's decision Thursday to declare a mistrial after ruling the defense introduced two forged documents to undercut the credibility of the key witness, Orie's former chief of staff, Jamie Pavlot. The judge halted jury deliberations when the prosecution called his attention to the signatures on the defense documents. Manning called it "deceitful, dishonest, despicable, and it's a crime." Manning told Costopoulos that he was not accusing him of anything but "I think you ought to look in your own house for the culprit."
Orie is charged with using her state paid staff to do campaign work and with conspiring with her sister, Janine Orie, to have the staff also work on the 2009 campaign of a third sister, state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin, who is not charged.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Orie Mistrial
Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning has declared a mistrial in the public corruption case against State Senator Jane Orie of Pittsburgh's North Hills. Judge Manning took the action after he agreed with prosecutors who argued documents entered into evidence by the defense were doctored. Shortly after noon, the judge ordered the jury to halt deliberations after the prosecution raised questions about the validity of key defense documents. Manning then held a hearing at which a prosecution witness testified that documents bearing the signature of a key prosecution witness, Orie's former chief of staff, Jamie Pavlot, had been fabricated.
Manning declared that a fraud had been perpetrated on the court and a mistrial was necessary. He then brought the jury into the courtroom to explain to them why they
were being dismissed.
Orie and her sister Janine Orie are charged with using the senator's staff to
perform allegedly illegal campaign and fundraising work while on state time.
Manning declared that a fraud had been perpetrated on the court and a mistrial was necessary. He then brought the jury into the courtroom to explain to them why they
were being dismissed.
Orie and her sister Janine Orie are charged with using the senator's staff to
perform allegedly illegal campaign and fundraising work while on state time.
Prosecution Alleges Doctored Defense Document
Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Manning ordered a halt to jury deliberations in the corruption trial of State Senator Jane Orie of suburban Pittsburgh. Manning stopped the deliberations after agreeing with prosecutors that two key defense exhibits used to undermine the credibility of the prosecution's key witness, former Orie chief of staff Jamie Pavlot, may have been "doctored." The prosecution contends that Pavlot's signature was cut from another document and pasted on the defense exhibit. Orie's attorney William Costopoulos angrily responded to the accusation, but when Manning was shown the documents on an overhead projector he said it was obvious they had been manipulated. The judge wants prosecutors to get a document expert to testify at a hearing this afternoon. The judge says he wants to try to remedy the situation before the deliberations continue, otherwise, he might declare a mistrial.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Orie Jury Hears Closing Arguments
Defense lawyers in the case of PA Senator Jane Orie and her sister Janine Orie took shots and prosecution witnesses and the prosecutors this morning as they presented their closing arguments. Testimony in the corruption trial lasted nearly three weeks.
In his closing arguments, Sen. Orie’s lawyer William Costopoulos told the jury that the case against his client was nothing more than a “smoke screen.” He says they brought in witness after witness and binder after binder of “billowing smoke.” “Just when I thought I had the room cleared they brought in more…,” says Costopoulos. He says the prosecution never did anything to rid the jury of its reasonable doubt.
Costopoulos went on to hammer at the testimony of key prosecution witness Jamie Pavlot. Pavlot was Sen. Orie’s office manager. She was given immunity for her testimony. Costopoulos argued that Pavlot was the one running the office in McCandless and if anything illegal was going on it was her fault, not the fault of the senator. He says Orie put Pavlot in charge of the office so she could carry out her duties as a senator. Costopoulos says Pavlot’s testimony amounted to lies, “back home where I come from we call it perjury.” He wrapped up by saying, “[Sen. Orie] committed no theft, did not alter or destroy anything, her only fault was misplacing her trust.”
Janine Orie’s lawyer James DePasquale then stood before the jury and wondered aloud why his client was there. He posted a list of all of the prosecution’s 22 witness. He then went one by one noting that most of them did not even mention his client’s name, and if they did, they could not tie her to any criminal activity. He told the jury that he did not have his client take the stand because, “there are times in the system when the charges are so insulting and ridiculous that they do not deserve a response.”
DePasquale says the only reason why his client was on trial is because the state needs a person to sit next to the Senator to charge her with conspiracy. DePasquale asked the prosecution table, “What in the world are you doing to a good human being trying to ruin her life with no evidence and no good reason.” He called Janine Orie a patsy. He says too many of the other’ individuals involved in the case were either too sympathetic to charge or had already been given immunity. He told the jury to “speak truth to power,” and if they did that Janine Orie would have nothing to fear.
Assistant District Attorney Lawrence Claus launched his closing arguments by echoing the words of the defense. He agreed that there was a lot of smoke. However, he says the smoke was hiding the fire in Sen. Orie’s North Hills office, “that showed a blatant misuse of staff and equipment.” He says that fire has been smoldering since 2001.
Like James DePasquale. Claus asked the jury to “speak truth to power.” However, he says they need to speak that truth to the power that allows a state senator to use her staff for an extended period of time for her own benefit. “Think about what [Sen. Orie] could garner having a staff and her beck and call,” without costing her, “one dime.”
Claus then launched into a nearly two-hour recap of the evidence, presenting a slew of emails and text messages that he says show Jane Orie knew what was going on in her office and took an active roll in directing the staff to perform campaign work while on the state’s payroll. He called Orie a micro-manager of a, “political machine, that was working quite well thank you, at the expense of the taxpayer.” Those same emails, Claus contends, show that Janine Orie directed her sister’s staff to do work for Joan Orie Melvin’s PA Supreme Court campaign while on the state’s payroll and while using state assets.
Jane Orie faces 10 counts including multiple counts of Diversion (theft) of Services, violations of the PA Ethics laws and Tampering with or fabricating evidence. Janine is charged with conspiracy to commit a felony.
In his closing arguments, Sen. Orie’s lawyer William Costopoulos told the jury that the case against his client was nothing more than a “smoke screen.” He says they brought in witness after witness and binder after binder of “billowing smoke.” “Just when I thought I had the room cleared they brought in more…,” says Costopoulos. He says the prosecution never did anything to rid the jury of its reasonable doubt.
Costopoulos went on to hammer at the testimony of key prosecution witness Jamie Pavlot. Pavlot was Sen. Orie’s office manager. She was given immunity for her testimony. Costopoulos argued that Pavlot was the one running the office in McCandless and if anything illegal was going on it was her fault, not the fault of the senator. He says Orie put Pavlot in charge of the office so she could carry out her duties as a senator. Costopoulos says Pavlot’s testimony amounted to lies, “back home where I come from we call it perjury.” He wrapped up by saying, “[Sen. Orie] committed no theft, did not alter or destroy anything, her only fault was misplacing her trust.”
Janine Orie’s lawyer James DePasquale then stood before the jury and wondered aloud why his client was there. He posted a list of all of the prosecution’s 22 witness. He then went one by one noting that most of them did not even mention his client’s name, and if they did, they could not tie her to any criminal activity. He told the jury that he did not have his client take the stand because, “there are times in the system when the charges are so insulting and ridiculous that they do not deserve a response.”
DePasquale says the only reason why his client was on trial is because the state needs a person to sit next to the Senator to charge her with conspiracy. DePasquale asked the prosecution table, “What in the world are you doing to a good human being trying to ruin her life with no evidence and no good reason.” He called Janine Orie a patsy. He says too many of the other’ individuals involved in the case were either too sympathetic to charge or had already been given immunity. He told the jury to “speak truth to power,” and if they did that Janine Orie would have nothing to fear.
Assistant District Attorney Lawrence Claus launched his closing arguments by echoing the words of the defense. He agreed that there was a lot of smoke. However, he says the smoke was hiding the fire in Sen. Orie’s North Hills office, “that showed a blatant misuse of staff and equipment.” He says that fire has been smoldering since 2001.
Like James DePasquale. Claus asked the jury to “speak truth to power.” However, he says they need to speak that truth to the power that allows a state senator to use her staff for an extended period of time for her own benefit. “Think about what [Sen. Orie] could garner having a staff and her beck and call,” without costing her, “one dime.”
Claus then launched into a nearly two-hour recap of the evidence, presenting a slew of emails and text messages that he says show Jane Orie knew what was going on in her office and took an active roll in directing the staff to perform campaign work while on the state’s payroll. He called Orie a micro-manager of a, “political machine, that was working quite well thank you, at the expense of the taxpayer.” Those same emails, Claus contends, show that Janine Orie directed her sister’s staff to do work for Joan Orie Melvin’s PA Supreme Court campaign while on the state’s payroll and while using state assets.
Jane Orie faces 10 counts including multiple counts of Diversion (theft) of Services, violations of the PA Ethics laws and Tampering with or fabricating evidence. Janine is charged with conspiracy to commit a felony.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Orie Trial Opens
The prosecution and the defense in the corruption and conspiracy trial of Pennsylvania Senator Jane Orie and her sister Janine Orie both presented their opening arguments to the jury Thursday and both paint a very different picture of how things were done in the Senator’s North Hills office.
Deputy Allegheny County District Attorney Lawrence Claus told the jury that they would hear from as many as 18 former and current employees of Senator Orie, and they would all testify that they did campaign work for the senator and her sister, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin, using state-owned assets and while being paid for their state jobs. Claus says they were “on the company dime” and that is stealing from the taxpayers. He says records will show that so much work was done by the senator’s staff that her campaign finance reports show very little fundraising or campaign management spending. He says many of the staffers knew what they were doing was wrong and some even kept records because “they knew this day was coming.”
Claus went on to outline how he intends to prove that senator Orie knew what she was doing was wrong because she tried to hide evidence once a whistle blower stepped forward and District Attorney Stephen Zappala launched an investigation. He says she also tried to cover her tracks by having campaign letters reprinted on different letterhead. Claus says Janine Orie, who is a staffer for Judge Orie Melvin, directed much of the campaign work.
Senator Orie’s lawyer, William Costopouls, told the jury that the prosecution’s case is so weak that investigators had to go back nine years just to get enough evidence to add up to something worth prosecuting. He admitted that campaign work was done in the Senator’s office by her staff but he says it was done after hour or while the staff was using comp time. He says the staffers did the work because they loved the senator and because they wanted to make sure she was reelected. He reminded the jury that if the Senator did not keep her job the staff was all out of a job too.
Costopouls went on to tell the jury about Senator Orie’s efforts to raise a million dollars for the flight 93 families. He noted that it was all done with donated time and materials. He led the jury to believe such a thing was possible with her campaign efforts as well. He added that during many of her campaigns she did not need a big campaign staff because she was running against little or no competition.
Costopouls wrapped up his arguments by opining that the case was nothing more than a political vendetta on the part of DA Zappala. He told the jury, “Politics is a dirty business. For many it is a contact sport. But this hit, ladies and gentleman, is below the belt.”
Janine Orie’s lawyer, James DePasquale, told the jury that the prosecution does not have enough evidence against his client to “cut away the cloak of innocence” every defendant enters into the courtroom wearing. He says she is little more than a patsy because the prosecution needed someone to sit next to Senator Orie during the trial.
DePasquale outlined a number of emails he says he will enter into the record at a later date that show all of Janine’s conversations with the Senator’s staff were above board. He says she never asked them to do anything wrong and she never stepped foot into the Senator’s North Hills office. He says rather than Janine at the prosecution table, it should be Orie’s chief of staff Jamie Pavlot facing charges.
The prosecution began to present its case by calling a staffer who contended her campaign work was not done on comp time. The trial continues Friday.
Opening arguments had been set for 9:30 AM but were delayed when two jurors had to be dismissed.
Deputy Allegheny County District Attorney Lawrence Claus told the jury that they would hear from as many as 18 former and current employees of Senator Orie, and they would all testify that they did campaign work for the senator and her sister, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin, using state-owned assets and while being paid for their state jobs. Claus says they were “on the company dime” and that is stealing from the taxpayers. He says records will show that so much work was done by the senator’s staff that her campaign finance reports show very little fundraising or campaign management spending. He says many of the staffers knew what they were doing was wrong and some even kept records because “they knew this day was coming.”
Claus went on to outline how he intends to prove that senator Orie knew what she was doing was wrong because she tried to hide evidence once a whistle blower stepped forward and District Attorney Stephen Zappala launched an investigation. He says she also tried to cover her tracks by having campaign letters reprinted on different letterhead. Claus says Janine Orie, who is a staffer for Judge Orie Melvin, directed much of the campaign work.
Senator Orie’s lawyer, William Costopouls, told the jury that the prosecution’s case is so weak that investigators had to go back nine years just to get enough evidence to add up to something worth prosecuting. He admitted that campaign work was done in the Senator’s office by her staff but he says it was done after hour or while the staff was using comp time. He says the staffers did the work because they loved the senator and because they wanted to make sure she was reelected. He reminded the jury that if the Senator did not keep her job the staff was all out of a job too.
Costopouls went on to tell the jury about Senator Orie’s efforts to raise a million dollars for the flight 93 families. He noted that it was all done with donated time and materials. He led the jury to believe such a thing was possible with her campaign efforts as well. He added that during many of her campaigns she did not need a big campaign staff because she was running against little or no competition.
Costopouls wrapped up his arguments by opining that the case was nothing more than a political vendetta on the part of DA Zappala. He told the jury, “Politics is a dirty business. For many it is a contact sport. But this hit, ladies and gentleman, is below the belt.”
Janine Orie’s lawyer, James DePasquale, told the jury that the prosecution does not have enough evidence against his client to “cut away the cloak of innocence” every defendant enters into the courtroom wearing. He says she is little more than a patsy because the prosecution needed someone to sit next to Senator Orie during the trial.
DePasquale outlined a number of emails he says he will enter into the record at a later date that show all of Janine’s conversations with the Senator’s staff were above board. He says she never asked them to do anything wrong and she never stepped foot into the Senator’s North Hills office. He says rather than Janine at the prosecution table, it should be Orie’s chief of staff Jamie Pavlot facing charges.
The prosecution began to present its case by calling a staffer who contended her campaign work was not done on comp time. The trial continues Friday.
Opening arguments had been set for 9:30 AM but were delayed when two jurors had to be dismissed.
Orie Trial Delayed Four Hours
Opening arguments in the trial of Pennsylvania State Senator Jane Orie and her sister Janine Orie had to be postponed this morning. The twelve members of the jury and the two alternates were brought into the courtroom shortly after 9:30 and Common Pleas Judge Jeffery Manning informed them that two of the jurists had to be excused. He says juror number one reported to him this morning that her Father-in-law “deluged” her with information about the case last night and felt she was no longer able to serve as a fair an impartial jurist. The judge then went on to say juror number three also reported this morning that he had been exposed to information that had tainted him. The members of the jury were then sent out of the courtroom and told to return at 1:30 this afternoon.
The judge and the lawyers then went down to the jury pool to select two new jury members.
Senator Orie is charged with ten counts of corruption including seven felonies. Janine is charged with three counts. Two of them are felonies. The case stems from allegations that the senator used her taxpayer funded staff to work on the judicial campaign of her sister, Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin. Melvin has not been charged.
The judge and the lawyers then went down to the jury pool to select two new jury members.
Senator Orie is charged with ten counts of corruption including seven felonies. Janine is charged with three counts. Two of them are felonies. The case stems from allegations that the senator used her taxpayer funded staff to work on the judicial campaign of her sister, Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin. Melvin has not been charged.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Orie Trial to Move Forward
Jury selection is scheduled to proceed this morning in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court in the corruption trial of Pennsylvania State Senator Jane Orie. The Republican lawmaker from McCandless Township and her sister Janine Orie are accused of using the senator's offices and staff to do campaign work for another sister, State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin.
Melvin, a Superior Court Judge at the time, was elected to the Supreme Court in 2009. She has not been charged.
Monday Superior Court rejected a defense challenge to a ruling by Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Manning that allowed the case to continue. Also yesterday, the State Supreme Court turned down a request by the defense for a King's Bench review which would have bypassed the lower courts and had the Supreme Court examine the case.
Judge Manning earlier denied a defense request to bring in a jury from another county due to pre-trial publicity. Manning did say that no one from Orie's senatorial district could be chosen to sit on the jury.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Judge Considers Out Of County Jury for Orie Trial
Today is the second day of a pretrial hearing in Pittsburgh for Pennsylvania State Senator Jane Orie and one of her sisters on corruption charges. Senator Orie, a Republican from McCandless Township, is charged with illegally using her legislative staff to do campaign work for herself and another sister, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin. Justice Melvin is not charged. Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning is hearing evidence and arguments on a request by prosecutors for an out of county jury. He's also considering whether some search warrants for phone and office records of Senator Orie were legal, and whether the conflict of interest statute used to charge the senator is unconstitutionally vague. The trial for Senator Orie and her sister, Janine, an assistant to Justice Melvin, is scheduled to begin February 7.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Orie Ordered to Stand Trial
State Senator Jane Orie of Pittsburgh's North Hills and her sister Janine Orie have been held for trial on charges they used the lawmaker's taxpayer-funded staff to do campaign work on state time.
Following a three day preliminary hearing, Allegheny County Judge Donna Jo McDaniel ordered Jane Orie and Janine Orie to stand trial on charges they conspired to use the senator's staff for campaign work for the senator and for a another sister, State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin. Janine Orie is on paid leave as an aide to Justice Melvin. Several former Orie staffers including the chief of staff testified they conducted campaign work at Senator Orie's direction.
William Costopoulos, attorney for Senator Orie, said he was "disappointed" and questioned the expense of the investigation.....
"Now if you wanna talk about the taxpayer's money lets talk about what this investigation has cost the commonwealth to bring the senator and her sister to trial. The amount of money that has been paid out to investigate the senator and bring her sister to trial far exceeds any of the allegations times ten."
The Ories have denied the allegations claiming they are the result of a "political witch hunt" by District Attorney Stephen Zappala. Senator Orie says she's fighting political corruption particularly in the gambling industry. She claims she was targeted because the district attorney's father, Stephen Zappala, Sr., is the chairman of the Pennsylvania Casino Association...and a former State Supreme Court Justice.
A trial date has not yet been set and another Common Pleas Judge, Jeffrey Manning, will hear arguments on the constitutionality of the investigation into the senator.
Following a three day preliminary hearing, Allegheny County Judge Donna Jo McDaniel ordered Jane Orie and Janine Orie to stand trial on charges they conspired to use the senator's staff for campaign work for the senator and for a another sister, State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin. Janine Orie is on paid leave as an aide to Justice Melvin. Several former Orie staffers including the chief of staff testified they conducted campaign work at Senator Orie's direction.
William Costopoulos, attorney for Senator Orie, said he was "disappointed" and questioned the expense of the investigation.....
"Now if you wanna talk about the taxpayer's money lets talk about what this investigation has cost the commonwealth to bring the senator and her sister to trial. The amount of money that has been paid out to investigate the senator and bring her sister to trial far exceeds any of the allegations times ten."
The Ories have denied the allegations claiming they are the result of a "political witch hunt" by District Attorney Stephen Zappala. Senator Orie says she's fighting political corruption particularly in the gambling industry. She claims she was targeted because the district attorney's father, Stephen Zappala, Sr., is the chairman of the Pennsylvania Casino Association...and a former State Supreme Court Justice.
A trial date has not yet been set and another Common Pleas Judge, Jeffrey Manning, will hear arguments on the constitutionality of the investigation into the senator.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Second Day for Orie Sisters' Preliminary Hearing
State Senator Jane Orie and her sister, Janine Orie, are charged with using state office workers to perform campaign activities on state time. Allegheny County Judge Donna Jo McDaniel will determine whether there is evidence to hold the two sisters for trial.
Today, Senator Orie's chief of staff, Jamie Pavlot, is expected to testify under a grant of immunity. Yesterday, four former staffers took the stand. Among them was Sharon Cochran, who ran the senator's Natrona Heights office. Cochran talked about leaving the office sometimes to go campaign door-knocking on behalf of the senator.
During Monday's preliminary hearing an affidavit, that had been sealed, was made public when it was introduced as evidence. It included information about how the Ories used an intermediary to convey to officials at the Allegheny County District Attorney's office that if the investigation continued the sisters threatened to launch an aggressive attack.
Today, Senator Orie's chief of staff, Jamie Pavlot, is expected to testify under a grant of immunity. Yesterday, four former staffers took the stand. Among them was Sharon Cochran, who ran the senator's Natrona Heights office. Cochran talked about leaving the office sometimes to go campaign door-knocking on behalf of the senator.
During Monday's preliminary hearing an affidavit, that had been sealed, was made public when it was introduced as evidence. It included information about how the Ories used an intermediary to convey to officials at the Allegheny County District Attorney's office that if the investigation continued the sisters threatened to launch an aggressive attack.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Orie, DeWeese Lawyer Hopes SCOTUS Ruling Impacts His Case
A lawyer representing two state lawmakers facing conflict of interest charges says he’s heartened by the recent United States Supreme Court ruling narrowing the scope of a federal corruption law. The Supreme Court decision scales back a federal “honest services” law. The ruling states it’s only applicable when officials are receiving bribes or kickbacks.
Attorney Bill Costopoulos represents Democratic Representative Bill DeWeese of Greene County and Republican Senator Jane Orie of McCandless Towship, Allegheny County. They are both facing charges for allegedly using state resources to conduct campaign work.
He’s filed motions questioning the constitutionality of the state conflict of interest counts both are facing, and says the Court ruling will help his cause.
"What happened yesterday isn’t going to necessarily resolve the challenge here in Pennsylvania. But it is authority, and I believe compelling authority, to do what I would like done. And that is, have this statute in Pennsylvania declared unconstitutional, as it is being applied."
Attorney General Tom Corbett’s spokesman, Nils Frederiksen, says Costopoulos’ argument is a stretch.
"Well it’s possible somebody may try to argue that, the reality is Pennsylvania statutes, and the charges brought in a variety of these cases, the conflict of interest, theft and other charges, are fundamentally different than the federal law which the Supreme Court ruled on."
But Costopoulos says the laws are both unconstitutionally vague, and he hopes judges will take the Supreme Court ruling into consideration when they weigh his challenge.
Attorney Bill Costopoulos represents Democratic Representative Bill DeWeese of Greene County and Republican Senator Jane Orie of McCandless Towship, Allegheny County. They are both facing charges for allegedly using state resources to conduct campaign work.
He’s filed motions questioning the constitutionality of the state conflict of interest counts both are facing, and says the Court ruling will help his cause.
"What happened yesterday isn’t going to necessarily resolve the challenge here in Pennsylvania. But it is authority, and I believe compelling authority, to do what I would like done. And that is, have this statute in Pennsylvania declared unconstitutional, as it is being applied."
Attorney General Tom Corbett’s spokesman, Nils Frederiksen, says Costopoulos’ argument is a stretch.
"Well it’s possible somebody may try to argue that, the reality is Pennsylvania statutes, and the charges brought in a variety of these cases, the conflict of interest, theft and other charges, are fundamentally different than the federal law which the Supreme Court ruled on."
But Costopoulos says the laws are both unconstitutionally vague, and he hopes judges will take the Supreme Court ruling into consideration when they weigh his challenge.
Friday, May 21, 2010
DeMarco Claims Victory
The Democrat who launched a write-in campaign for his party’s nomination to run in the 40th Pennsylvania State Senate district general election says his research shows he has won. Ross Township Commissioner Dan DeMarco says his campaign workers were able to look at results that were posted by poll workers the night of the election and then again Wednesday. He says after looking at half of the precincts, which account for 51% of the write in votes cast, he is leading State Sen. Jane Orie by a 4 to 1 margin. A total of 4,758 write-in votes were cast in the 40th district Democratic Primary. To earn a spot on the November ballot a write-in candidate must get a minimum of 500 votes and have more votes than any other candidate. Any spelling variations can be challenged. Allegheny County Election Division Manager Mark Wolosik says the county will not start counting the write-in ballots until next week. DeMarco says he is confident he will win and is ready to launch his campaign for the general election. He says it is clear that the voters do not want to just let an incumbent walk back into office. DeMarco launched his write-in campaign after Republican Jane Orie was indicted by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office for allegedly misusing state assets for campaign purposes. Orie countered by launching her own write-in campaign. Orie also ran unopposed in the Republican Primary. DeMarco says he looks forward to talking about issues such as controlling spending, limiting taxing and reforming the state legislature.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Ross Township Commissioner to Challenge Orie
Attorney Dan DeMarco announced he will launch a write-in campaign to try to win the Democratic nomination in order to take on Republican State Senator Jane Orie in the November general election. No Democrat filed nominating petitions by last month's deadline to get on the May 18 Primary ballot. But DeMarco, a Ross Township Commissioner for the last 10 years, decided to mount a write-in campaign after Orie was indicted this month on charges of using her legislative office staff to do campaign work for her sister Joan Orie Melvin's successful run for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
DeMarco says he's frustrated with what's going on in Harrisburg..."I'm frustrated at the lack of ethics, the loss of understanding of what a legislator's duty is and who they are accountable to, and that's the people of Pennsylvania."
Demarco says he favors a constitutional convention to impose term limits on members of the General Assembly as well as legislation to begin limiting campaign contributions. He says the lack of such limits "breeds behavior" that leads to the misuse of public funds for campaign work.
DeMarco says fresh ideas are needed and fresh ideas come from fresh faces. DeMarco would need at least 500 write-in votes in the Primary to make it on the November election ballot. That's the same number of signatures that would have been needed on petitions to get on the Primary ballot.
Orie has been unopposed since 2002 when DeMarco unsuccessfully challenged her.
DeMarco says he's frustrated with what's going on in Harrisburg..."I'm frustrated at the lack of ethics, the loss of understanding of what a legislator's duty is and who they are accountable to, and that's the people of Pennsylvania."
Demarco says he favors a constitutional convention to impose term limits on members of the General Assembly as well as legislation to begin limiting campaign contributions. He says the lack of such limits "breeds behavior" that leads to the misuse of public funds for campaign work.
DeMarco says fresh ideas are needed and fresh ideas come from fresh faces. DeMarco would need at least 500 write-in votes in the Primary to make it on the November election ballot. That's the same number of signatures that would have been needed on petitions to get on the Primary ballot.
Orie has been unopposed since 2002 when DeMarco unsuccessfully challenged her.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Orie Impact on Senate GOP
State Senator Jane Orie of Allegheny County stepped down from her post as Majority Whip earlier this week.
The Republican lawmaker from McCandless Township is the second lawmaker to lose a leadership role due to criminal charges within the last six months
Orie is facing theft, conspiracy and other charges for allegedly overseeing political work conducted within her district office for her sister, Joan Orie Melvin's successful campaign for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Her vacation of the Senate Republican Caucus’s number three post comes months after the House Majority Whip, Democrat Bill DeWeese, lost his position due to similar charges filed by the Attorney General’s office.
DeWeese’s move to the sidelines, along with the departure of former Democratic Whip Mike Veon, who was recently convicted for doing campaign work on state time, created a leadership vacuum in the House.
Political scientist Terry Madonna of Franklin and Marshall College doesn’t see that happening in the Senate.
"The fact is, I don’t think that will have a huge impact on the Republicans and the policies they pursue. And the policies they’ll be pursing with or without Jane Orie will be to not vote for and to halt Governor Rendell’s billion-dollar budget increase for the next fiscal year."
Madonna says Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi and Senate President Pro Tem Joseph Scarnati are the ones who call all the shots in the Republican caucus. Both Pileggi and Scarnati are supporting Orie, saying they’re confident she’ll be exonerated on the charges she’s facing. Orie says when she's cleared, she intends to resume the post of majority whip.
The Republican lawmaker from McCandless Township is the second lawmaker to lose a leadership role due to criminal charges within the last six months
Orie is facing theft, conspiracy and other charges for allegedly overseeing political work conducted within her district office for her sister, Joan Orie Melvin's successful campaign for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Her vacation of the Senate Republican Caucus’s number three post comes months after the House Majority Whip, Democrat Bill DeWeese, lost his position due to similar charges filed by the Attorney General’s office.
DeWeese’s move to the sidelines, along with the departure of former Democratic Whip Mike Veon, who was recently convicted for doing campaign work on state time, created a leadership vacuum in the House.
Political scientist Terry Madonna of Franklin and Marshall College doesn’t see that happening in the Senate.
"The fact is, I don’t think that will have a huge impact on the Republicans and the policies they pursue. And the policies they’ll be pursing with or without Jane Orie will be to not vote for and to halt Governor Rendell’s billion-dollar budget increase for the next fiscal year."
Madonna says Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi and Senate President Pro Tem Joseph Scarnati are the ones who call all the shots in the Republican caucus. Both Pileggi and Scarnati are supporting Orie, saying they’re confident she’ll be exonerated on the charges she’s facing. Orie says when she's cleared, she intends to resume the post of majority whip.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Senator Orie, Sister Indicted
Pennsylvania Republican State Senator Jane Orie of McCandless Township, Allegheny County and her sister Janine Orie surrendered this morning to face charges of theft of service and other counts. An indictment handed up by an Allegheny County grand jury charges Senator Orie and her sister for allegedly using the senator's staff to do campaign work on behalf of a third sister, Joan Orie Melvin in her 2009 successful campaign for a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Janine Orie is an aide to Justice Orie Melvin.
Jane and Janine Orie, along with their brother John Orie, who served as their attorney at this morning's arraignment, denied the charges...claiming they are the result of a "political witch hunt" by District Attorney Stephen Zappala. Senator Orie says she's fighting political corruption particularly in the gambling industry. She claims she was targeted in this indictment because the district attorney's father, Stephen Zappala, Sr., is the chairman of the Pennsylvania Casino Association...and a former State Supreme Court Justice.
The investigation began when Jennifer Knapp Rioja, a former intern in Orie's office, alleged that Orie was using her office staff to do campaign work for her sister, Joan Orie Melvin.
Jane and Janine Orie, along with their brother John Orie, who served as their attorney at this morning's arraignment, denied the charges...claiming they are the result of a "political witch hunt" by District Attorney Stephen Zappala. Senator Orie says she's fighting political corruption particularly in the gambling industry. She claims she was targeted in this indictment because the district attorney's father, Stephen Zappala, Sr., is the chairman of the Pennsylvania Casino Association...and a former State Supreme Court Justice.
The investigation began when Jennifer Knapp Rioja, a former intern in Orie's office, alleged that Orie was using her office staff to do campaign work for her sister, Joan Orie Melvin.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Grand Jury Investigates Orie's Office
An Allegheny County grand jury is reportedly investigating whether a worker in State Senator Jane Orie's North Hills office was employed for campaign purposes. The Post-Gazette report that an aide to the Republican senator was questioned for 8 hours by the grand jury. Orie's attorney Jerry McDevitt told the paper that the questioning followed surveillance of Orie's staff and office. McDevitt said investigators raided Orie's office two weeks ago...taking computers and laptops. According to McDevitt, the investigation began after an intern in Orie's office contacted the district attorney alleging campaign work for State Supreme Court nominee Joan Orie Melvin, Orie's sister, was being done out of the senator's office.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Orie's Office Raided
State Senator Jane Orie, a Republican from Allegheny County, has retained a lawyer after her offices were searched by Allegheny County detectives as part of a county grand jury investigation. Attorney Jerry McDevitt says computers and laptops were seized as well as a computer server. McDevitt says the investigation apparently began a day before the November election when an intern in Orie's office complained to the district attorney's office that political calls were being made from there on behalf of State Supreme Court nominee Joan Orie Melvin, the senator's sister. McDevitt told the Post-Gazette he plans to "unleash hell in December" over the raid at Senator Orie's office. He accuses District Attorney Stephen Zappala of carrying out an overly broad and unconstitutional search warrant.
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