Indicted Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams Accepts Temporary Loss of Law License

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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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