Perzel: 'Being a politician is now illegal'

by Dave Merrell

Published May. 28, 2010, 12:31 p.m. ET

The corruption case against State Rep. John Perzel is headed to trial:

There is enough evidence for the case against State Rep. John M. Perzel (R., Phila.) and nine others to proceed to trial, a district judge ruled Thursday.

Perzel is facing 82 counts of corruption stemming from the alleged use of taxpayer money to fund campaign activities for the House Republican Caucus.

Asked what he had taken away from the preliminary hearing, the Northeast Philadelphia Republican added: "That being a politician is now illegal, that's what I've learned."

This trial will be another big test for Attorney General Tom Corbett, who in March won the conviction of former State Rep. Mike Veon and has made busting corruption a major theme of his campaign for governor.