No work boundaries, ex-Fumo aides testify

Two former aides to State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo testified yesterday that they were unhappily made to toil in an environment where there were no barriers among political, personal and Senate assignments.

The two aides also helped federal prosecutors lay the groundwork for an obstructing-justice case against their old boss, saying that computer security was stepped up after the FBI investigation became publicly known.

"My take on it was that this was connected to the investigation," said Christian Soura, a former budget analyst in Fumo's office.

Soura said he started to look for a new job as soon as he learned about the inquiry in early 2004.

Daniel Coyne, who maintained computers in Fumo's Harrisburg office and now works for the state Lottery Commission, told the jury about an e-mail from a top computer specialist stating that the "senator asked me to inform the staff that until further notice we will be stepping up security."

The e-mail was sent late on Jan. 25, 2004 - hours after that Sunday's Inquirer reported that an FBI investigation was under way.

The view of the two former staffers contrasted vividly with that of several Fumo loyalists who appeared in court this week as reluctant or even hostile prosecution witnesses and who professed their continued fondness for the embattled senator.

Fumo, 65, who has long been one of the most powerful Democrats in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, is charged in a sweeping federal indictment with defrauding the state Senate as well as pair of nonprofits.

He also is accused of obstructing the FBI investigation. Prosecutors contend that his aides destroyed thousands of e-mails that might have contained incriminating information about him.

Testifying under a grant of immunity, Coyne sketched a portrait of life in the trenches as a Fumo worker, describing him as a "demanding boss" who had long been paranoid about government agencies or his political opponents hacking into his computers.

But he said the measures put in place after the news broke of the FBI investigation - notably, an office-wide policy of cleaning the staff's hard drives - were unprecedented.

As for the political work, Coyne said he had little choice but to take on partisan assignments. "I was told a couple times, 'You will get on that bus and walk around Erie and hang pamphlets on doors,' " he said.

Soura said he became disenchanted with working for the senator in part because of non-Senate assignments.

"I wasn't comfortable with what kind of things happened in the office on state time," said Soura.

He said the senator asked him to do research about potential development of a property in Ventnor, N.J.

"It didn't seem an appropriate use of state time or resources," said Soura, who said that his "moral view is that these things should not be worked on state time."

Coyne testified that he was swamped with campaign work - especially before the gubernatorial primary in 2002, when now-U.S. Sen. Bob Casey was running against Gov. Rendell for the Democratic nomination.

"It was part of my job. It was what I did," said Coyne, who said he provided computer support for the Casey campaign in addition to his duties servicing computers in Fumo's Harrisburg office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Pease asked him if Fumo was aware of his political efforts. "I am sure he was," said Coyne, who described Fumo as a "demanding boss."

And how, Pease asked, was he paid for his campaign efforts?

"Through my paycheck I got every two weeks from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," said Coyne.

Coyne said the news about the FBI investigation was bad for Fumo and his entire staff.

"It could mean the end of your job," Coyne testified. "It could mean that you're sitting in the witness box like I am today."

Join a live chat today at 1 p.m. with the reporters covering the Fumo trial: Robert Moran, Craig R. McCoy and Emilie Lounsberry.

Fumo collected coverage:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/

special/fumo/

Fumo live blog:

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/

inq-breaking/