It's too early to predict how the political corruption case against state Sen. Jane Orie, R-40th, and her sister Janine will shake out — or what twists and turns the case might take months or longer in the future.

But a statement by the senator's attorney, William Costopoulos of Harrisburg, after the Ories' case was bound over for trial last Wednesday, should give pause to anyone who supports the premise of law-abiding public service and honest government.

In the aftermath of Allegheny County Judge Donna Jo McDaniel's decision to send the case to trial, Costopoulos, outside the courtroom, said, "If you want to talk about taxpayers' money, how much has this investigation cost the commonwealth to bring the senator and her sister to trial? That number far exceeds any allegations (against the Ories) by 10."

It's reasonable to believe that, in the end, the Orie investigation and trial will have cost the state's taxpayers much more than the taxpayers' money involved in Orie staffers, while being paid by the state, allegedly having engaged in political activities and work upon the orders of one or both Orie sisters.

But the cost is no justification for the Ories' case not to be carried forward to conclusion.

With the ongoing Bonusgate investigation, in which several key lawmakers remain under suspicion of awarding taxpayer-funded bonuses to state employees who performed illegal campaign work; the conviction of former Beaver County representative Mike Veon on 14 counts of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest; and the misuse of public money by former state Sen. Vincent Fumo of Philadelphia, it's clear that a major, unrelenting attack on corruption in the state capital is necessary.

The case against Jane Orie is a logical part of that process, based on the allegations and testimony that have been lodged against her and her sister.

Perhaps she will be judged innocent; perhaps she won't. However, her constituents and other state residents are entitled to know whether she's been part of the troubling culture of corruption in the state's legislative chambers. If she has been part of it, she should no longer have the privilege of representing the people of this commonwealth.

No cost is too great to determine whether Orie obeyed the state's ethics rules and otherwise lived within the laws guiding her legislative service.

It's ironic that, as a state representative in 1998, the senator voted to pass an ethics law.

A grand jury investigation that targeted the Orie sisters stemmed from a handwritten complaint by a former Jane Orie intern to the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office. That complaint alleged widespread misuse of state resources.

At a preliminary hearing last week, former Jane Orie staffers who were called to testify almost all told similar stories of being ordered to engage in fundraising, campaigning and other political tasks for both the senator and another sister, state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin.

Melvin has not been charged. She is under investigation by another grand jury.

The bottom line is that Costopoulos' professed concern about the cost of carrying the Ories' case to conclusion is misplaced. The case is not "small potatoes." It deals with alleged serious violations of the public trust.

Jane Orie has compiled a strong record during her state legislative service, but a good legislative record and high seniority don't authorize any legislator to skirt the law or sound ethics.

Residents of the 40th District and its environs should continue to hope that the charges against the Ories are determined to be unfounded. They are innocent until proven guilty.

But unfortunately, at the same time, they must ponder the ramifications for their district if the verdict turns out to be otherwise.