Ex-Sen. Orie files federal appeal in corruption case
PITTSBURGH — Former state Senator Jane Orie today filed a federal appeal seeking to reverse her conviction and sentence of her campaign corruption and forgery case.
Orie promised the appeal, which was filed in U.S. District Court, Pittsburgh, after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court refused to hear her appeal a year ago.
She had represented much of southern Butler County while she was in the state Legislature.
The Republican was convicted in 2012 and served 22½ months in prison for using her state-paid Senate staff to run her re-election campaigns. She was also convicted of using forged defense documents during her first trial in 2011, resulting in a mistrial.
The 208-page petition lists seven alleged errors that she says are sufficient to reverse her conviction and sentence.
Those issues, previously rejected by the state Superior Court, include Orie’s argument that the second trial at which she was convicted amounted to double jeopardy.
