Pa. Rep. Perzel Released on Bond

Former Pa. House speaker John Perzel was released on $100,000 bond and ordered to turn over his passport Friday morning after being indicted on corruption charges stemming from a 3-year-old investigation.

“This investigation has gone on for a long time. I am looking to the opportunity to prove my innocence in court,” said Perzel at the entrance of the District Judge William Wenner’s office in Lower Paxton Township in Harrisburg.

Perzel, a Republican who represented Northeast Philadelphia for 30 years, is one of ten people charged Thursday with 82 criminal counts of corruption including theft, conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Attorney General Tom Corbett outlined charges against state Perzel, former state Rep. Brett Feese and eight current or former aides. Prosecutors say millions of taxpayer dollars was illegally spent on computer equipment and other efforts to help Republicans in the state House win elections.

They're the second group of people to be arrested in the three-year-old investigation. The first group was a dozen people connected to the House Democratic caucus.