Setting the stage for an interesting and revealing trial, the lawyer for state Sen. Vincent Fumo offered a preview of his strategy defending the powerful lawmaker against 139 criminal counts, many of which allege the use of state employees for personal and political benefit.

In attempting to discredit the 267-page indictment, Fumo's lawyer suggested that the case against the powerful Philadelphia Democrat is politically motivated and linked to the Bush administration in Washington.

And when it comes to explaining why state employees under Fumo's control, as well as employees of a nonprofit organization his former top aide ran in Philadelphia, would clean Fumo's house, supervise the renovation of his 33-room mansion, work on his 100-acre farm near Harrisburg and pick up trash from his home... it was simply love for the senator — love, and a desire to make Fumo a more effective lawmaker.

Lawyer Richard Sprague said, "I have seen people who just had a joy of being there and working as a team for a guy they adore."

Sprague noted that state workers and employees of the nonprofit Citizens Alliance for Better Neighborhoods were legally allowed to "knock themselves out"for Fumo by working beyond their official workday. Sprague said the "extra" work provided by the scores of state workers, on their own time and at their own discretion, of course, allowed Fumo to attend to more important business and increase his efficiency as a legislative leader in Harrisburg.

It will be interesting to learn about all that love — and possibly some other motivations — once Fumo's trial begins and those state workers and nonprofit employees are testifying under oath.

Fumo's lawyer offered no explanation for the $75,000 worth of power tools bought by Citizens Alliance that ended up distributed to Fumo's four homes. Nor has there been an explanation for the bulldozer, backhoe, dump truck, Bobcat and lawn tractor that were bought by Citizens Alliance, but eventually delivered to Fumo's farm.

Fumo is credited with bringing millions of dollars to Citizens Alliance, including a $17 million contribution from Peco Energy at about the time Fumo changed his position on electricity deregulation to align with the Philadelphia utility's position.

Apparently out of love for Fumo, employees of Citizens Alliance made at least 80 trips detailed in the indictment to the senator's vacation house on the New Jersey shore for deliveries or to do work. Similarly, employees allegedly performed other chores for Fumo, going so far as driving a luxury car loaded with Fumo's luggage to Martha's Vineyard, Mass., to make it more convenient for Fumo, who flew to the island, long known as a vacation hot spot for the rich and famous.

A detailed analysis of the spending records at Citizens Alliance could well serve as a red flag that should trigger investigations of other nonprofits closely linked to state lawmakers, particularly powerful legislative leaders. The head of Citizens Alliance, Ruth Arnao, will no doubt be a key witness in the trial, and faces additional troubles, in the form of 45 charges including conspiracy, mail fraud, obstruction of justice and filing false tax returns.

The Fumo case is big news in the eastern part of the state, where the lawyer, banker and consummate power broker has been a dominant force in the Philadelphia region for nearly three decades. But the case should be a big deal across Pennsylvania because it paints a picture of massive abuse of power and fraudulent spending of an estimated $1 million or more of taxpayers' money for one man's personal and political gain.

Much of Harrisburg seems surprised, even stunned, at the scope of the abuses Fumo is alleged to have committed. All of Pennsylvania should follow this case for a behind-the-scenes look into one of the state's most powerful lawmakers.

The trial will undoubtedly shed light on the power of Harrisburg's legislative leaders, the potential for abuse in nonprofits controlled by powerful lawmakers, the general lack of accountability when it comes to leadership's spending of taxpayers' dollars, and the patronage system long associated with various governmental agencies, including the Turnpike Commission, which is headed by Arnao's husband, another longtime Fumo associate.

The Fumo case promises to be an eye-opener, both educational and disturbing. It's too bad Pennsylvanians might have to wait a year for the trial to begin and to hear about the love of all those workers making their boss and benefactor more effective.