Lawyer for 2 ex-lawmakers wants charges dismissed

HARRISBURG - A lawyer for two former legislative leaders awaiting trial on public-corruption charges argued Friday that the cases should be dismissed because of prosecutorial misconduct and that the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office should be disqualified from handling them.

Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis said he would rule in a few days. Josh Lock, who represents former State Reps. Steve Stetler and Brett Feese, filed the requests.

Stetler and Feese were charged separately with using public resources to wage political campaigns and are among the 25 people arrested since Attorney General Tom Corbett's office began investigating the legislature more than three years ago.

Lock accused prosecutors of mistreating grand-jury witnesses and alleged that Corbett, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, engaged in conduct similar to charges brought in the investigation. Chief Deputy Attorney General Christopher Carusone said the arguments were similar to those advanced with little success by defense lawyers in the recently concluded corruption trial of former House Democratic Whip Mike Veon and three ex-aides. - AP