Oct 7, 2008 5:26 pm US/Eastern
Many 'Bonus Gate' Defendants Waive Hearings
HARRISBURG (KDKA) ―
There were some big surprises this morning at a preliminary hearing for the defendants in the so-called "Bonus Gate" scandal.
KDKA's Paul Martino reports that everyone is wondering who is ratting out who in a political scandal that led to the indictment of a dozen Democratic staffers and officeholders in the Pennsylvania House.
All eyes were on former Democratic Whip Mike Veon of Beaver Falls who's accused of masterminding a scheme to use more than a million in tax money to run a political campaign.
The fear of who is testifying against whom began when 10 of the defendants waived their right to the preliminary hearing today. That is leading many in Harrisburg to believe that at least some of those defendants are working out deals to testify for the prosecution.
Mike Veon's attorney, Robert Del Greco, is wondering about the same thing.
"And I think some inferences can be drawn from some previous waivers and the question's going to become at the end of the day, who has cut a deal, who is testifying against who and who is left standing to challenge the charges," Del Greco said. "That's just going to have to play out in the future."
After seeing all of those defendants walking away from their right to a preliminary hearing, Veon and his attorney waived their right too and promptly left the courthouse.
A hearing is being held this afternoon for State Rep. Sean Ramaley. He's accused of accepting a ghost job in Veon's office while he ran for the State House.
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