Allentown mayor’s corruption trial in hands of jury

Jurors have begun deliberations in the case against the mayor of Pennsylvania’s third-largest city who’s accused of selling his office to campaign donors.

Democratic Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski faces charges including fraud, bribery, attempted extortion, and lying to the FBI.

Jurors went home for the day Wednesday evening without reaching a verdict.

Prosecutors say Pawlowski traded city contracts for campaign cash that funded his unsuccessful runs for governor and U.S. Senate.

The mayor’s political consultants cooperated with the government and recorded hundreds of conversations with him, many of which were played for the jury during the trial. Several city workers and vendors who pleaded guilty testified.

Defense attorney Jack McMahon says his client is “100 percent innocent” and has ridiculed the government’s case as much ado about nothing.