Western Pennsylvania state Senator Jane Orie is stepping down from her seat in the wake of her conviction earlier this year on charges she used her taxpayer-funded staff for political work.
The letter to Senate President Joe Scarnati obtained by The Associated Press says Orie's resignation is effective today.
Orie calls it "an honor and a privilege" to have served in the state Senate in the two sentence letter dated Friday.
A jury in Pittsburgh convicted Orie in March of 14 criminal counts. Her sentencing had been scheduled for today but has been pushed back to June 4.
The state constitution prohibits convicted felons from holding public office. It is normal for lawmakers who have been found guilty to hold on to their seat until just before being sentenced.
The 50-year-old Orie likely faces the loss of her pension and will likely face a prison term. County prosecutors are also seeking more than $1.3 million to reimburse taxpayers for legal costs paid by the state Senate relating to Orie's defense.
State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin, the senator's sister, was accused of similar campaign-related charges last week.
A third sister, Janine Orie, also faces charges stemming from the same grand jury investigation. She was charged along with Sen. Orie, with whom she lives in McCandless, of conspiring to use the senator's staff to also illegally campaign on Melvin's behalf. Sen. Orie was acquitted on the charges related to the campaigning that allegedly benefited Melvin and Janine Orie faces a separate retrial scheduled for August.
