HARRISBURG — A once-powerful state lawmaker told a grand jury in 2009 that he relied heavily on his district staff to perform re-election campaign duties and that he hadn’t been careful to ensure that it was done on their personal, rather than taxpayer-paid time, according to a transcript read Thursday during Rep. Bill DeWeese’s corruption trial.

DeWeese, 61, also insisted to the grand jury that he did not force employees to perform campaign work and that he went to great lengths to cooperate with state prosecutors once a scandal broke in 2007 over taxpayer-paid bonuses for campaign work by state legislative employees.

Still, he also acknowledged that he hadn’t instilled “internal controls” to prevent campaign work by House Democratic staff in the Capitol or staff in his Greene County district offices.

Thursday was the fourth day of DeWeese’s corruption trial in Harrisburg. The one-time Democratic floor leader and House Speaker from Greene County is accused by state prosecutors of illegally using legislative employees for political purposes.

He is charged with theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest.

After reading DeWeese’s testimony, prosecutors finished their case and Judge Todd Hoover said DeWeese could begin his case on Monday.