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Ex-State Rep. To Get Separate Trial In Bonusgate

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Jul 7, 2009 5:58 pm US/Eastern

Ex-State Rep. To Get Separate Trial In Bonusgate

Reporting
Jon Delano
HARRISBURG (KDKA) ― A day-long court hearing in Harrisburg Tuesday has led to a legal victory of sorts for at least one of the Bonusgate defendants.

Former State Rep. Sean Ramaley of Economy will get his wish to be tried separately and not have his trial lumped in with former state Rep. Mike Veon of Beaver Falls and the other Bonusgate defendants.

Ramaley, who represented parts of Allegheny and Beaver counties in the state House of Representatives, argued that his case was different -- and that he was never part of the Bonusgate scandal.

Today's decision was good legal news for Ramaley.

When attorney general Tom Corbett, a Republican, charged Ramaley -- along with Veon and 10 Democratic staffers -- Ramaley's case always seemed a bit different from the Bonusgate charges.

For one thing, Ramaley never got a bonus.

Instead, Corbett charged Ramaley with campaigning for state House while working out of Veon's Beaver office, getting paid tax dollars without doing constituent work.

The very public arrest of Ramaley in 2008 came just after Ramaley became the Democratic nominee for state senator in Beaver and Lawrence counties.

This ultimately led Ramaley to resign as a candidate, saying last July 30, "It has become clear to me, however, that the orchestrated politically inspired media event staged a few weeks ago, this campaign will ultimately be focused not on issues but one unflattering photograph."

Ramaley's attorneys argued that Corbett was wrong to lump this case in with the Bonusgate prosecutions, saying it was "very prejudicial" to Ramaley and that he deserved a separate trial.

Assistant Attorney General Tony Krastek argued that it was all part of the larger conspiracy but Dauphin County President Judge Richard Lewis agreed with Ramaley and granted him a separate trial.

As for the other defendants, so far they will all be tried with Veon.

To make the case that this is a political prosecution by an attorney general running for governor, the defense has subpoenaed 43 witnesses, including 17 legislators like Republican minority Mike Turzai and Democratic majority whip Bill DeWeese.

The judge put off a decision until later on whether there are grounds for these subpoenas.

Now this is all part of a lengthy court hearing in Harrisburg, where defendants have filed a lot of motions against the commonwealth.

Their biggest argument was that Corbett engaged in selective prosecution, going after only Democrats -- and charging them for doing things that many other legislators in both parties do.

The defense wants to make legislators testify under oath to prove their point.
Judge Lewis said he would not make that decision today.

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