Philadelphia's top prosecutor is not relinquishing his his job, but he is giving up the law license that is a pre-requisite for the position.
District Attorney Seth Williams will accept a temporary suspension of the license to practice law, his new attorney Thomas Burke announced at a hearing Friday.
Burke entered his name into the court docket at the hearing to officially declare himself Williams' new representation in a case expected to take months.
Williams is accused of taking more than $100,000 in cash and gifts in exchange for favors. The two-term Democrat says he got into financial problems after a costly divorce.
Defense lawyer Michael Diamondstein handled Williams' arraignment last week but then told a judge that he can't take the case without being paid.
Williams has pleaded not guilty. He remains in the $175,000-a-year job.
The city stopped paying for his defense when he got indicted.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
