HARRISBURG — A man who served as then-Rep. Mike Veon's press secretary testified Thursday that Veon personally told him to work on political campaigns during state time, orders that were issued from inside Veon's state Capitol offices.

Bob Caton told the jury in Veon's theft, conspiracy and conflict-of-interest trial that he knew he was doing something illegal when he wrote campaign materials on his taxpayer-paid computer, among other things.

"I personally went out during the work days and did lit drops and knocked on doors," said Caton, who testified under a grant of immunity and is cooperating with prosecutors.

Caton is the first witness in the four-week-old trial to say he was directed by Veon personally to devote work hours to election efforts. Veon attorney Dan Raynak said grand jury records do not show Caton previously making such a claim and said Caton would be pressed on the topic when court resumes today.

Veon and former legislative aides Brett Cott, Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink and Steve Keefer are accused of diverting public resources and state employees for election efforts and other improper purposes. They are among 25 defendants in a public corruption investigation. Seven have pleaded guilty to related charges, 13 await trial and one, former Rep. Sean Ramaley, D-Beaver, was acquitted in December.

Earlier Thursday, defense lawyers and prosecutors got a stern warning from the presiding judge to put a halt to conduct he said was not up to professional standards or they could be fined or arrested for contempt.

Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis said there had been too much rude, obstructive and obnoxious behavior by the lawyers and said they were largely to blame for the length of the trial. About half of the roughly 30 expected prosecution witnesses have taken the stand.

Lewis said he had warned them repeatedly about the behavior, which he said included bickering, interruptions, shouting objections and staring or glaring at jurors while witnesses were answering questions.

The judge said some lawyers had behaved properly, and said tough questions were allowed but he would not tolerate witness intimidation.