Pa. State Sen. Washington Pleads Guilty, Gets House Arrest
By Brad Segall
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- Pennsylvania state senator LeAnna Washington plans to resign from office tomorrow, after pleading guilty today to a felony charge related to a political corruption investigation.
She had little time left in her term as state senator anyway. She lost a primary re-election fight about two months after she was indicted. She gets to keep her pension, but was ordered to pay back $200,000 to taxpayers.
Washington, 69, who represents parts of Philadelphia and Montgomery counties, pleaded guilty today to a conflict-of-interest charge. She admitted using state senate staffers and other resources to plan campaign fundraisers.
Washington was sentenced to five years' probation, the first three months to be spent on house arrest.
She apologized for her actions:
"I've always been known to stand up for what I believe in and what it is right, however this resolution is the best decision for my constituents (and) my family," she said.
Judge Steven O'Neill accepted the negotiated sentence but scolded Washington for being the latest in a line of elected officials who have tainted the exemplary work that other public officials perform. He told her that history will remember how she left office, not what she did while she was there.