Former Pennsylvania state Sen. Jane Orie (R) has been ordered to
immediately serve her 2 1/2 to 10-year prison sentence, according to the
Associated Press.
The 50-year-old lawmaker was accused of using her state-funded staff
members to perform campaign work for herself and her sister, a state
judge. She then allegedly forged documents in hopes of covering it up.
Orie was convicted of 14 counts, including theft, conspiracy,
conflict of interest, forgery, and evidence tampering in March, but was
acquitted of 10 other counts, including perjury and election-code
violations.
She resigned from the Pennsylvania Senate in May.
“I think the outcome was positive,” Jennifer Knapp Rioja, a former intern for Orie, told the Pittsburg-Tribune Review after Orie was convicted.
“I think it shows that misusing state resources for your own gain
will not go unpunished,” she continued. “Especially in a time of such
severe budget cutting, that any money was diverted illegally is
shameful. How many people are scheduled to lose food stamp benefits? How
much less money is Pitt getting this year? Where else did that money
belong?”
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.’s office
launched an investigation of Orie after Rioja filed a complaint against
the Pennsylvania lawmaker in 2009.
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