HARRISBURG — Defense attorneys in a legislative corruption trial worked Thursday to portray a key government witness who has pleaded guilty as the master of schemes to rout taxpayer money and resources into waging political campaigns.

On the 13th day of trial in a Dauphin County courtroom, defense attorney Joel Sansone closely questioned a witness as to who gave him orders and a promotion while he worked for the House Democratic caucus.

Sansone also attacked the witness, Eric Webb, as a nobody who is telling lies to settle a score with the key defendant in the case, the former No. 2 House Democrat, Mike Veon.

Webb, who received a grant of immunity from the state attorney general's office, provided crucial information that helped the attorney general's office file charges in 2008 against Veon and 11 other people connected to the House Democrats.

Webb agreed with Sansone's assertions that a top former House Democratic aide, Mike Manzo, gave him orders and even granted him a promotion to be the House Democrats' director of member services when Veon seemed slow to move on it.

It was Manzo who ordered Webb to find House Democratic staff employees to volunteer on campaigns, and it was Manzo who ordered Webb to keep records of how much each employee volunteered, said Sansone, who represents Veon.

Some of those employees campaigned on the taxpayer dime, while higher-performing employees were rewarded with taxpayer-paid bonuses, prosecutors say.

Under questioning from Sansone, Webb also agreed that it was Manzo, not Veon, who ordered Webb to enlist taxpayer-paid legislative staff to carry out political research against opposition candidates, Sansone said.

"Yes, but they worked very closely together," Webb said of Manzo and Veon.

Manzo's orders, Webb added, were an "extension" of Veon's wishes.

Sansone asserted that, after 2004, Webb reported to Manzo, who reported to former House Democratic leader Bill DeWeese, not Veon.

"On paper," Webb responded. "Veon was the prime minister, he was the real guy in charge."

Sansone then turned his attack on Webb, calling him a "low-level staffer" who was lying to satisfy a grudge against a man who didn't promote him and barely knew he existed, having met with him just two or three times.

"That sounds sort of crazy," Webb responded.

Veon, of Beaver County, and three one-time aides all have pleaded not guilty to charges of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest.

Twenty-five people with ties to the state House of Representatives have been charged in the state attorney general's ongoing investigation into the Legislature's campaign and financial practices — 15 connected to the Democratic caucus, and 10 tied to the Republican caucus.

In addition to the four defendants now on trial, Manzo and six others have pleaded guilty to reduced charges in exchange for cooperating with prosecutors. One was acquitted in December and the other 13, who include DeWeese, are awaiting trial.