Bill DeWeese

HARRISBURG — The former chief of staff to House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese testified Wednesday that DeWeese knew public money was used to encourage legislative aides to volunteer for Democratic campaigns.

Mike Manzo made the claim during a preliminary hearing for two people charged with using state workers and equipment for political efforts. It was the first time anyone has publicly accused DeWeese of knowing why more than a million dollars in bonuses were handed out in recent years.

DeWeese, D-Greene, responded by issuing a statement denying the allegations; he called Manzo "a desperate, disgruntled former employee whom I fired last year for dishonesty and self-dealing. ... His motives are suspect and his opinions are just not credible."

DeWeese has not been criminally charged, but some fellow House Democrats have suggested he step down from his leadership post because the alleged crimes occurred on his watch.

A member of the prosecution team declined to say whether DeWeese will be charged or if others have made similar accusations against the veteran lawmaker.

"You can draw conclusions, you can interpret things, you can write about it, talk about it," Senior Deputy Attorney General Anthony Krastek told reporters after the hearing.

Manzo, who worked for the House Democrats from 1994 to 2007 before DeWeese fired him, is one of 12 people charged in a Capitol scandal in which prosecutors allege widespread diversion of state government money, equipment and employees for electioneering.

Manzo said using taxpayers' money as an incentive for caucus employees to campaign was conceived as an effort to counter Republicans' fundraising edge by getting "more feet on the ground."

Ten of the 12 defendants waived their right to a preliminary hearing, so the hearing that began Tuesday and ended Wednesday focused only on Rep. Sean M. Ramaley, the only sitting legislator to be charged, and Anna Marie Perretta-Rosepink, a former Beaver County legislative aide.