The past two years weren't good to former state Rep. Frank LaGrotta, who had represented a part of Butler County. This year might not be much better.

LaGrotta, who lost his 10th District seat in the 2006 elections, last year learned that he faces trial on charges that he placed two relatives in state jobs for which no work actually was performed.

Now, in a new development, Commonwealth Court ruled on Wednesday that LaGrotta is not immune from a lawsuit filed by two companies that accuses him of acting outside the scope of his legislative duties when he tried to block the sale of Hill View Manor, the Lawrence County nursing home.

The case was sent back to Lawrence County Court, where the companies' lawsuit was filed.

According to Commonwealth Court, the companies that are suing LaGrotta — Sylvan Heights Realty Partners LLC and Americare Management Services Inc. — claim that the former lawmaker discussed the sale with county officials, complained about "alleged improprieties" to the state Department of Health, and asked the state police to investigate people involved in the sale for supposed ties to organized crime.

Americare claims it lost six months' worth of management fees as a result of LaGrotta's actions; Sylvan Heights was pursuing a purchase of the home that fell through.

However well-intentioned LaGrotta's actions might have been, or LaGrotta thought them to be, he should not have put himself in the position of even being perceived as overstepping his elected boundaries.

It will be up to the courts to decide whether LaGrotta did in fact overstep those boundaries and whether his actions were indeed malicious, which is what the two companies are claiming.

Jeffrey T. Morris, lawyer for the companies, said, "This was entirely a county matter. The state was not involved at all in the contract."

Whatever good LaGrotta might have done during his years in the legislature is now being tarnished by his current troubles. Those troubles are indicative of an attitude of arrogance rooted in a false perception of individual power or special privilege.

Other lawmakers should pay attention to developments stemming from LaGrotta's predicaments. Those predicaments contain a lesson for those still serving.