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2 state lawmakers charged in cash, gifts sting

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia’s district attorney said this morning he’s charging two more elected officials from Philadelphia who were targets of an undercover state sting investigation involving cash and gifts.

District Attorney Seth Williams said that state Reps. Ronald Waters and Vanessa Brown are being charged with conspiracy, conflict of interest and perjury. Williams says the pair admitted taking illegal cash payments.

Their lawyers didn’t immediately comment.

Attorney General Kathleen Kane inherited the case from predecessors, but called it too badly flawed to prosecute. Williams took over the case in June, three months after The Philadelphia Inquirer publicly revealed its existence.

Williams charged an ex-Philadelphia traffic court judge with perjury in October. She’s scheduled to plead guilty Wednesday.

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