Feb 7, 2013 2 min read

Former state Rep. William DeWeese, currently in prison for a felony corruption conviction, has failed to file his final campaign finance report for 2012, according to state Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele.

Aichele’s department released a list of candidates and candidates’ authorized committees that failed to meet the Jan. 31 filing deadline. DeWeese, a Waynesburg Democrat, was among those listed, although he filed a report for last year’s spring primary by the May 24 deadline.

DeWeese, 63, resigned from the office he had held for 35 years in April, shortly after he was sentenced to 30 to 60 months in prison for illegally using state employees and other public resources for political campaigns between 2001 and 2006.

DeWeese was seeking re-election despite his conviction in February 2012 and remained a candidate in the primary, which he won on the day of his sentencing.

The state constitution bars felons from serving in the General Assembly, but that ban is not triggered until the sentence is imposed. Following DeWeese’s sentencing, the Democratic Party won court approval to replace him on the ballot for the general election. His replacement, Pam Snyder, was elected to the state House in November.

For failing to file his last campaign finance report, DeWeese will be fined $20 a day. The fine, however, cannot exceed $250.

A DeWeese campaign spokesperson could not be reached for comment Thursday.