Fumo to be tried in February

U.S. Senior District Judge William H. Yohn Jr. yesterday scheduled the corruption trial of state Sen. Vince Fumo and three associates for next Feb. 25.

Fumo, 63; his former deputy chief of staff, Ruth Arnao; and two former Senate computer aides, Leonard Luchko and Mark Eister, were indicted by a federal grand jury in February on conspiracy, fraud, obstruction-of-justice and tax charges.

Fumo resigned his powerful post as minority chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee the day before the indictment was handed up. (He still remains a senator.) His attorneys have said the charges are politically motivated. *

- Michael Hinkelman