Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Ex-Pa. House Speaker John Perzel to plead guilty

FROM THE MORNING CALL

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Former Pennsylvania House Speaker John Perzel plans to plead guilty in a state corruption case.

An order issued Tuesday byDauphin County court says Perzel is scheduled to change his pleas from innocent to guilty at a hearing in Harrisburg on Wednesday.

The order does not specify which charges Perzel will plead guilty to.

Prosecutors have described thePhiladelphia Republican as the architect of a scheme to illegally use millions of dollars' worth of taxpayer-financed computer technology to gain an edge in political campaigns.

The 61-year-old Perzel faces 82 counts that include theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest.

Eric Ruth, a former HouseGOP technology office employee, is also scheduled to plead guilty. Ruth's lawyer says his pleas will be to conspiracy and conflict of interest.

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-perzel-guilty-plea-ap-083011,0,3305703.story

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