Jul 11, 2008 9:12 pm US/Eastern
State Agents Led Veon, Others Into Arraignment
HARRISBURG (KDKA) ―
He was once one of the most powerful men in the state; but today, former state Representative Mike Veon was lead into court in handcuffs today to face arraignment on corruption, theft and other charges in connection with "Bonus Gate."
Veon and eleven others are facing charges for allegedly using taxpayer money for political campaigns.
Accused of being part of a broad culture of corruption, many of the defendants have already appeared before a district magistrate in Harrisburg today.
Each is accused of playing a part in a scheme to defraud Pennsylvania taxpayers of millions of dollars to underwrite political campaigns.
District Justice Joseph Solomon set bail for Veon at $50,000; doing the same for nearly a dozen other defendants accused of similar crimes – including the former chief of staff to Representative Bill DeWeese, Michael Manzo.
Manzo is accused of organizing the scheme to have state workers perform campaign work on state time and of creating a bogus job and office for a girlfriend above a cigar store on the South Side.
Defense Attorney Jim Eisenhower maintained his innocence. "Anyone who believes that the allegations in this presentment were masterminded by Mike Manzo for his benefit are very naïve."
"Bonus Gate" has become the largest political corruption indictments to hit the state in years.
During his news conference announcing the charges yesterday afternoon, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett made it clear that the investigation is not over and more arrests are expected.
He also says state grand juries are also looking at both Democrats and Republicans.
All of today's defendants are expected back in court next week.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
