In TV interview, Orie denies guilt
Notice: Undefined variable: article_ad_placement3 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/single.php on line 128
MCCANDLESS (AP) – Former Pittsburgh-area Republican state Sen. Jane Orie still insists she’s innocent of corruption and forgery charges that sent her to prison for nearly two years.
The 52-year-old former lawmaker issued those denials in an exclusive interview with WTAE-TV that aired Monday night. The interview marked Orie’s first public comments since her release from prison in February.
Orie says other inmates continued to address her as “senator.” She was sentenced to 2 ½ to 10 years in prison in June 2012, but was released after serving 75 percent of her minimum sentence in February under a program for non-violent first offenders.
Orie’s first trial on 2011 ended in a mistrial after a judge determined she introduced forged documents as evidence.
Orie denies forging the documents and having her former staff illegally campaign for her on state time.