HARRISBURG — A onetime powerful lawmaker from northeastern Pennsylvania is appealing the loss of his state pension stemming from a guilty plea in a corruption case.

The Scranton Times-Tribune said former senator Robert Mellow is appealing the decision by the State Employees’ Retirement System to forfeit the annual $138,000 pension.

The benefits were to end retroactive to May 9, when Mellow pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge stemming from misuse of his taxpayer-funded staff.

Attorney Daniel Brier said forfeiture is not allowed for that offense, and a federal conspiracy conviction can be based on an individual being “willfully blind” to unlawful activity rather than the more stringent state requirement of intentional misconduct.