State Sen. Vincent Fumo, D-Philadelphia, told a reporter this week that he is "anxious" about his federal corruption trial, set to begin on Monday. Based on the evidence presented by federal prosecutors, he has good reason to be concerned.

But while Fumo is worried, Pennsylvanians should view the charges over using public and charity resources for personal gain as another opportunity to clean up the Capitol.

Last month, Fumo's troubles worsened when two computer technicians charged with obstruction of justice for deleting all e-mails from computers used by Fumo in his offices and homes agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors.

A civics text might reveal how government is supposed to work. Fumo's trial could provide a troubling glimpse into how a powerful state senator operates when his personal mantra is to spend OPM (other people's money) whenever possible.

Federal prosecutors recently upped their estimate to $3.5 million regarding how much money Fumo misused. The alleged abuses involve state funds and personnel as well as resources of two nonprofit organizations.

When the 267-page Fumo indictment was issued in early 2007, it painted a picture of a powerful politician as well as a demanding and self-indulgent boss who had Senate staffers working to renovate a farm he bought, run personal errands, chauffer relatives and friends, and pick up laundry. The indictment also claims that staffers helped prepare a museum's yacht for Fumo's use, while other staffers drove his luggage and a vehicle to Martha's Vineyard for his use while on vacation there. There is more in the indictment, but the pattern is clear.

Fumo, who is considered one of the most powerful politicians in the state, has been credited with bringing more than $8 billion to Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania over his 30-year political career.

Investigators say that some of the wheeling-dealing also benefited his favorite nonprofit, Citizens Alliance for Better Neighborhoods. And that nonprofit was run by a former top legislative aide to Fumo, Ruth Arnao, who is Fumo's co-defendant in the corruption case in which prosecutors say Fumo had the nonprofit buy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment and tools that were delivered to one of Fumo's homes, including his Harrisburg farm.

The indictment also noted that one Senate staffer worked for 18 months as the "project manager"for renovation of Fumo's 33-room mansion in Philadelphia.

The trial should reveal more about a wide web of people with ties to Fumo. That group includes not only Arnao, but also her husband, Mitchell Rubin, a Fumo friend who prosecutors allege Fumo placed in a "do-nothing"job with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

Investigators say that Rubin was paid $30,000 a year for a no-work Senate consulting contract — and made another $28,000 a year as chairman of the Turnpike Commission. Recent annoucements from prosecutors say Rubin was a "ghost employee" at the Turnpike. And, according to the indictment, the Fumo-created contract resulted in "little or no actual Senate work."

The Philadelphia Daily News examined state records and reported that 69 people, with a combined salary of $3.47 million a year, were under Fumo's control.

Another interesting aspect to the trial should be details about the private detective that Fumo hired, who has testified that his work for Fumo was "one-third Senate business, one-third political and one-third personal." There are numerous reports that Fumo had the investigator snoop on his political foes (including Ed Rendell, before he became governor)as well as his ex-wife and a former girlfriend.

Although the full story might never be known, the trial also might explain how the senator convinced the giant Philadelphia utility, PECO Energy, to donate $17 million to the Citizens Alliance charity. But prosecutors lament that e-mails relating to that deal were destroyed by the former Fumo staffers who have since pleaded guilty. It is possible, however, that testimony will reveal more about the secret deal that happened at about the time that the state was considering electricity deregulation, an important issue for PECO.

Details in the voluminous federal indictment reveal an intelligent and already wealthy man who, after decades in the state Senate, was powerful, but also greedy, manipulative and motivated by a sense of entitlement to use OPM, other people's money — mostly taxpayers' — to maintain a lavish lifestyle.

The trial is likely to provide further details about how Fumo built and managed his kingdom, which now appears to be crumbling.

But Fumo cannot be counted out. He has faced corruption charges twice before, and beat them. This time, however, the massive and detailed indictment, as well as well-connected prosecution witnesses, represent what appears to be a clear case of corruption and obstruction.

Fumo's approaching trial, along with the continuing Bonusgate scandal, should cause Pennsylvanians to shake their heads in disgust — and re-energize efforts to clean up Harrisburg.