The Allegheny County District Attorney's office has filed more charges against the sister of State Senator Jane Orie (R-Allegheny).
Friday's criminal complaint charges 57-year-old Janine Orie with, among other things, theft of services and tampering with evidence. The charges come as the DA's office is preparing to retry the senator on similar charges. Senator Jane Orie's first trial ended when the judge declared a mistrial after allegedly falsified documents were found among the items being reviewed by the jury.
Jane and Janine Orie allegedly misused the Senator's office to campaign for their sister, Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin, in 2003 and 2009. Janine was an aid in Justice Orie Melvin's office.
Melvin did not immediately return a call to her Pittsburgh chambers Friday, nor did her attorney or her sister's attorney.
District Attorney's office spokesperson Mike Manko said that Janine Orie was expected to surrender later in the day, but he declined comment when asked whether Melvin could be charged based on the grand jury's findings.
Among other things, the grand jury found that Melvin handwrote the comment "Are you above this" on some campaign-related documents a staffer refused to complete in 2009.
