A western Pennsylvania state representative was convicted Monday of making his legislative staff do political campaign work on state time.
Jeff Habay, 39, a six-term Republican lawmaker from Allegheny County, will lose his state pension and could be removed from office by the General Assembly because of the felony conviction for conflict of interest.
A jury found him not guilty of theft of services, which the prosecution said was an alternative charge, but dealt with the same facts.
After the verdict, Habay said the case was the result of a political witchhunt by U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and former Allegheny County executive Jim Roddey, both Republicans.
Habay said he believes Santorum and Roddey were behind the investigation, but he did not elaborate. Santorum and Roddey did not immediately return messages seeking comment Monday.
Habay said he was not sure if he would resign and said he intends to appeal. He faces sentencing on Jan. 30. The standard range of punishment in such a case ranges from probation to 15 months in prison, prosecutors said.
Habay also faces a second trial next year on 21 counts that allege he concocted a story about receiving a suspicious white powder in the mail and directed his staff to investigate his adversaries on state time.
Centre Daily
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