HARRISBURG — At least nine current Democratic state representatives could soon find themselves testifying in the public corruption trial of one of their former colleagues, depending on how the presiding judge rules after Thursday's courtroom debate.

Defense attorneys in the public corruption trial of former Rep. Mike Veon and three ex-aides want to question the sitting lawmakers, as well as legislative staff aides. Earlier this week, Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis threw out subpoenas issued to state Senate and House Republicans, but has not ruled on the House Democrats.

The witness issue will have to be resolved by Monday, when defense attorneys are expected to begin putting on their case in the theft, conspiracy and conflict-of-interest trial of Veon and his former aides Brett Cott, Steve Keefer and Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink.

Also Thursday, prosecutors with the state attorney general's office began winding down their case after nearly five weeks, including testimony by an investigative agent who said many of Veon's employees who were active in campaigns recorded taking no vacation, personal or compensatory time off in 2004 or 2005.

Special agent Robert Gift told jurors in the spring of 2006, leave time among Veon's staff suddenly became much more common. Other witnesses have said that is about the time when then-chief of staff Jeff Foreman began requiring more stringent record keeping.

How jurors evaluate the matter of leave by Veon's underlings is important to the case because prosecutors say they were performing campaign work on state time and should have taken leave for it.

During courtroom arguments on the witness subpoenas earlier Thursday, Veon attorney Dan Raynak told Lewis the names of many people on the defense witness list had surfaced repeatedly during the five weeks of prosecution testimony. He singled out Rep. Bill DeWeese, D-Greene, who was the caucus floor leader when Veon served as whip, the No. 2 position.

"We've got contracts signed by Mr. DeWeese, we've got reimbursement slips signed by Mr. DeWeese, we've got e-mails," Raynak said.

He also wants to call to the stand current state Democratic Reps. Joe Preston, Dan Frankel, David Levdansky, Marc Gergely, Mike Sturla, Jim Wancasz, Jake Wheatley and Majority Leader Todd Eachus. Raynak also named four caucus lawyers, former Reps. Steve Stetler and Dan Surra, and about a dozen legislative aides.

Attorneys for House Democrats and the potential witnesses said the request could run afoul of the special constitutional protections given to the internal discussions of the Legislature. The attorney general's office told Lewis the witnesses also might seek to exercise their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

Prosecutor Christopher Carusone urged Lewis to issue clear guidelines about what the witnesses could be asked ahead of time.

DeWeese and Stetler are currently awaiting trial on separate charges that are a result of the same investigation that led to charges against the four defendants.