Brett Feese

HARRISBURG — A once-powerful former Pennsylvania Republican lawmaker was convicted Tuesday in a corruption case focusing on the illegal use of millions of taxpayer dollars and state employees for political campaign work.

Former Rep. Brett Feese, a onetime House Republican Campaign Committee chairman, was found guilty of all 40 charges against him. Prosecutors said Feese was involved in hiring out-of-state consultants with public money and diverting legislative employees to work on voter-information databases and other high-tech tools to help elect more Republicans to the Legislature.

Jill Seaman, Feese’s former legislative aide and co-defendant, was convicted on identical charges in the scandal, which also ensnared a former House speaker.

The lead prosecutor, Chief Deputy Attorney General Frank Fina, said he hopes the unanimous verdicts would have an impact in the Legislature.

“I sure hope the message is getting delivered over there — that they’re there for the best interest of the people, and the best interest of the people only, and they should not be using the money of the people for personal efforts,” Fina said.

Feese’s lawyer said an appeal is inevitable, while Seaman’s attorney did not rule out that possibility.

“There are issues which are appropriate for review by the Superior Court. I’m sure we’ll be pursuing relief in that form in due course,” said Feese’s attorney, Joshua Lock.

“I’m not guilty,” Feese said to reporters as he left the courthouse with his wife and lawyer.

The jury of six men and six women reached their verdicts after deliberating for a week following five weeks of testimony.