DeWeese gets prison time in ‘Bonusgate’ corruption

Former Pennsylvania House Speaker Bill DeWeese will serve between two and a half to five years in prison.

The usually loquacious Greene County Democrat did not speak after he was sentenced Tuesday for crimes of misusing state resources for personal and political gain.

He had reportedly resigned his House seat earlier in the day.

But he’s still running for re-election, hoping to have his conviction overturned with an appeal.

DeWeese’s attorney says he thinks the sentencing of his client and other state lawmakers amounts to an assault on the Legislature.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Kenneth Brown says he doesn’t see how that’s possible when a grand jury found probable cause and subsequent juries find evidence of guilt.

“If there’s an assault on the Legislature, it’s for the people that are acting like criminals at the Legislature. That’s where the assault’s coming from, it’s not coming from the attorney general’s office,” he said.

DeWeese was also fined $25,000 and ordered to pay more than $116,000 in restitution.

He’s slated to report to prison May 14.