Former Pa. House speaker among 10 charged in probe

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Former state House Speaker John Perzel was among 10 people connected to the House Republican caucus charged today in a new phase of a legislative corruption probe into the misuse of public resources and employees for campaign purposes.

Attorney General Tom Corbett said a grand jury found that Rep. Perzel, a Philadelphia Republican, was the architect of an illegal scheme in which more than $10 million in taxpayer money was spent to help win political campaigns.

Also charged in the ongoing grand jury probe were Perzel’s former chief of staff, Brian Preski, and former House GOP counsel Brett Feese.

The charges revolve around the use of taxpayer money to purchase voter data, computer software and services to buttress House GOP campaign efforts, and efforts to cover it up, Corbett said.

Corbett announced the latest charges, which include theft, conspiracy, conflict of interest and obstruction of justice, at a Thursday news conference at his Harrisburg office.