Mike Veon
Encyclopedia
Michael R. Veon is a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
, representing the 14th District
from 1985 through 2006.
. Veon attended Allegheny College
, where he graduated in 1979 with a degree in political science
. In March 1977, he and six of his fraternity brothers were arrested after breaking into a half dozen mobile homes in Hadley, Pennsylvania, as a fraternity prank. Police charged the fraternity brothers with burglary, theft, and criminal conspiracy for taking furniture, a range and an oil furnace. They paid $1,500 in restitution and the charges were reduced to summary citations.
Joe Kolter's
1982 campaign for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district
. Kolter was successful, and Veon remained on Kolter's staff until 1984, when, at the age of 29, Veon resigned to run for state representative.
Veon defeated Barry Alderette
, the man who succeeded Kolter in the 14th legislative district
, by several hundred votes in a multi-candidate primary for the Democratic nomination. Alderette had raised the ire of Beaver County
residents and opened the door for Veon with his support for a pay raise for House members.
As a young member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
, Veon rose quickly through the ranks, forging a lasting alliance with Bill DeWeese. As a favorite of organized labor, he opposed replacement workers, and supported a hike in the minimum wage. He helped pass bills criminalizing sexual harassment and allowing women to seek pre-emptive Protection From Abuse orders. He sponsored the bill reserving mass transit seats for the disabled. In 1993, he pushed to repeal Pennsylvania's version of the Hatch Act
, which prohibited public employees from campaigning on state time. As DeWeese ascended to the top of the Democratic leadership, Veon rose from Democratic policy chairman to be Democratic whip, the second-highest position in the caucus.
Even as his power increased in Harrisburg
, Veon maintained focus on his constituents with a strong district office operation. In a 2002 PoliticsPA
Feature story
designating politicians with yearbook superlatives
, he was named the "Hardest Working."
In 1992, Veon ran for the U.S. House of Representatives against his former boss, Joe Kolter, when Kolter was reported, in a taped conversation, as having made ethnic slurs and saying he would do anything for votes. Kolter was later implicated in the Congressional Post Office scandal
. Veon came in second in a field of four candidates that also included Ron Klink
, the victor, and fellow state Representative Frank LaGrotta
.
In 2002, he was named to the PoliticsPA
list of Best Dressed Legislators.
Veon lost his seat as the result of a pay raise controversy
. After the Pennsylvania General Assembly
raised its pay in a late-night vote, popular anger caused the legislature to repeal the pay raise, but Veon was the only member of either house to vote against repeal. All three individuals opposing Veon — one in the Democratic primary, and two in the Republican — publicly opposed the pay raise, but he strongly defended his actions, saying that the increased compensation was only right for the amount of work required of a state legislator. Although Veon won his primary election, he was defeated by Republican Jim Marshall
, a member of the Big Beaver
borough council who saw his victory as the result of votes against Veon, rather than primarily votes for him.
Tom Corbett
announced that his office filed criminal charges against 12 individuals connected to the 2006 Pennsylvania General Assembly bonus controversy
. Veon, who had been the House minority whip
at the time of the alleged crimes, was charged with 11 counts each of conflict of interest
, theft by unlawful taking or disposition
, theft of services, theft by deception, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 381 years in prison and $805,000 in fines.
in 1992, and used the money for his own personal and political gain, including such things as bonus checks for employees who performed political campaign work.
jury found Veon guilty on 14 counts related to using taxpayer-paid bonuses to reward state workers for campaign efforts, illegal campaign fund-raising, other campaign efforts and a single count of conflict-of-interest for having aides drive two motorcycles to a North Dakota
rally. Also convicted were two former aides, Brett Cott, found guilty on three counts, and Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink, found guilty on five counts. A third aide, Stephen Keefer, was acquitted of all charges against him. Veon's attorney, Dan Raynak, has vowed an appeal.
in the State Correctional Institution Laurel Highlands minimum security prison. Veon was assigned to Block H. Opened a year ago, Block H has concrete
floors, traditional-style prison cell
s with metal doors that lock and a day room that resembles an airport terminal, with rows of blue plastic chairs. Each cell has a set of metal bunk beds, two stools, a toilet
, a stainless steel table attached to the wall and a tall, narrow window. The cells are cramped, the doors are locked at night and inmates are required to sit, not wander, in the day room, where they play games such as Monopoly
or Parcheesi
. The beds are made of sheet metal and topped with 4-inch-thick, plastic-covered mattresses that provide little cushioning. Typically, Block H is for offenders who need more supervision and not for white-collar criminals who follow the rules. Veon's job is that of a tutor
, which pays $0.42 per hour.
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
, representing the 14th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 14
The 14th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located within Beaver County and includes the following areas:* Beaver Falls* Big Beaver* Bridgewater* Chippewa Township* Daugherty Township* East Rochester* Eastvale* Fallston* Freedom...
from 1985 through 2006.
Personal life
Veon is a 1975 graduate of Beaver Falls High SchoolBeaver Falls High School
Beaver Falls High School, located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States, is the high school for the Big Beaver Falls Area School District...
. Veon attended Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
, where he graduated in 1979 with a degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. In March 1977, he and six of his fraternity brothers were arrested after breaking into a half dozen mobile homes in Hadley, Pennsylvania, as a fraternity prank. Police charged the fraternity brothers with burglary, theft, and criminal conspiracy for taking furniture, a range and an oil furnace. They paid $1,500 in restitution and the charges were reduced to summary citations.
Political career
After graduation, he worked for then-State RepresentativePennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
Joe Kolter's
Joseph P. Kolter
Joseph Paul Kolter was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania.Joe Kolter was born in McDonald, Ohio. He graduated from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1947...
1982 campaign for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district
Pennsylvania's fourth district is located in western Pennsylvania and includes suburbs of Pittsburgh as well as Beaver County, Lawrence County, and Mercer County....
. Kolter was successful, and Veon remained on Kolter's staff until 1984, when, at the age of 29, Veon resigned to run for state representative.
Veon defeated Barry Alderette
Barry Alderette
Barry L. Alderette is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for one year.-References:...
, the man who succeeded Kolter in the 14th legislative district
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 14
The 14th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located within Beaver County and includes the following areas:* Beaver Falls* Big Beaver* Bridgewater* Chippewa Township* Daugherty Township* East Rochester* Eastvale* Fallston* Freedom...
, by several hundred votes in a multi-candidate primary for the Democratic nomination. Alderette had raised the ire of Beaver County
Beaver County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 181,412 people, 72,576 households, and 50,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 418 people per square mile . There were 77,765 housing units at an average density of 179 per square mile...
residents and opened the door for Veon with his support for a pay raise for House members.
As a young member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
, Veon rose quickly through the ranks, forging a lasting alliance with Bill DeWeese. As a favorite of organized labor, he opposed replacement workers, and supported a hike in the minimum wage. He helped pass bills criminalizing sexual harassment and allowing women to seek pre-emptive Protection From Abuse orders. He sponsored the bill reserving mass transit seats for the disabled. In 1993, he pushed to repeal Pennsylvania's version of the Hatch Act
Hatch Act of 1939
The Hatch Act of 1939 is a United States federal law whose main provision is to prohibit federal employees in the executive branch of the federal government, except the President and the Vice President, from engaging in partisan political activity...
, which prohibited public employees from campaigning on state time. As DeWeese ascended to the top of the Democratic leadership, Veon rose from Democratic policy chairman to be Democratic whip, the second-highest position in the caucus.
Even as his power increased in Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, Veon maintained focus on his constituents with a strong district office operation. In a 2002 PoliticsPA
PoliticsPA
- Content :The website focuses on news aggregation, linking to major political news making headlines across the state. The editors write occasional features, like the weekly "Up & Down" scorecard and one-off lists like "Harrisburg's Smartest Staffer" and "Best Dressed Lobbyist" lists...
Feature story
Feature story
- Published Features & news :While the distinction between published features and news is often clear, when approached conceptually there are few hard boundaries between the two. It is quite possible to write a feature in the style of a news story, for instance...
designating politicians with yearbook superlatives
Yearbook
A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
, he was named the "Hardest Working."
In 1992, Veon ran for the U.S. House of Representatives against his former boss, Joe Kolter, when Kolter was reported, in a taped conversation, as having made ethnic slurs and saying he would do anything for votes. Kolter was later implicated in the Congressional Post Office scandal
Congressional Post Office Scandal
The Congressional Post Office scandal refers to the discovery of corruption among various Congressional Post Office employees and members of the United States House of Representatives, investigated 1991–1995, climaxing in the conviction of House Ways and Means Committee chairman Dan...
. Veon came in second in a field of four candidates that also included Ron Klink
Ron Klink
Ronald "Ron" Klink is a Democratic politician and former United States Representative from Pennsylvania.Klink was born in Canton, Ohio, and graduated from Meyersdale High School in Pennsylvania in 1969. Klink originally worked behind the scenes at WTAJ-TV in Altoona, Pennsylvania...
, the victor, and fellow state Representative Frank LaGrotta
Frank LaGrotta
Frank LaGrotta is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 10th District from 1987 to 2006.-Personal life:...
.
In 2002, he was named to the PoliticsPA
PoliticsPA
- Content :The website focuses on news aggregation, linking to major political news making headlines across the state. The editors write occasional features, like the weekly "Up & Down" scorecard and one-off lists like "Harrisburg's Smartest Staffer" and "Best Dressed Lobbyist" lists...
list of Best Dressed Legislators.
Veon lost his seat as the result of a pay raise controversy
2005 Pennsylvania General Assembly pay raise controversy
In the early morning hours of July 7, 2005, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed pay increases for state lawmakers, judges, and top executive-branch officials. The vote took place at 2 a.m. without public review or commentary and Governor Ed Rendell signed the bill into law...
. After the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
raised its pay in a late-night vote, popular anger caused the legislature to repeal the pay raise, but Veon was the only member of either house to vote against repeal. All three individuals opposing Veon — one in the Democratic primary, and two in the Republican — publicly opposed the pay raise, but he strongly defended his actions, saying that the increased compensation was only right for the amount of work required of a state legislator. Although Veon won his primary election, he was defeated by Republican Jim Marshall
Jim E. Marshall
Jim E. Marshall is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 14th District since 2007 and is a member of the Republican Party....
, a member of the Big Beaver
Big Beaver, Pennsylvania
Big Beaver is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,186 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Big Beaver is located at ....
borough council who saw his victory as the result of votes against Veon, rather than primarily votes for him.
July 2008
On July 10, 2008, Pennsylvania Attorney GeneralPennsylvania Attorney General
The Pennsylvania Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It became an elected office in 1980. Currently, the office is held by Linda Kelly.- Authority and Responsibilities :...
Tom Corbett
Tom Corbett
Thomas W. Corbett is the 46th and current Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. He is a former Attorney General of Pennsylvania and was elected to that office in 2004 and reelected in 2008...
announced that his office filed criminal charges against 12 individuals connected to the 2006 Pennsylvania General Assembly bonus controversy
2006 Pennsylvania General Assembly bonus controversy
In 2007, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett began investigating $3.8 million in bonuses paid to legislative staffers in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. While the bonuses themselves are not illegal under state law, the Attorney General is investigating the possibility that the bonuses...
. Veon, who had been the House minority whip
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
at the time of the alleged crimes, was charged with 11 counts each of conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
, theft by unlawful taking or disposition
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
, theft of services, theft by deception, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 381 years in prison and $805,000 in fines.
March 2009
On March 25, 2009, Attorney General Corbett announced further charges of corruption, unrelated to the previous charges, were filed against Veon and associate Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink. The indictment includes 25 counts of theft, and one count each of conflict of interest and criminal conspiracy against Veon and three counts of theft and one count each of conflict of interest, criminal conspiracy and misapplication of entrusted property against Perretta-Rosepink. The charges stem from millions on dollars in state money funneled through earmarks for local economic development into the nonprofit Beaver Initiative for Growth, founded by Veon and former state Senator Gerald LaValleGerald LaValle
Gerald J. LaValle is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate.A native of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, he earned a degree from Geneva College in 1956 and a Master of Education from Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania in 1971...
in 1992, and used the money for his own personal and political gain, including such things as bonus checks for employees who performed political campaign work.
Guilty verdict
On March 23, 2010, after a week of deliberation, a Dauphin CountyDauphin County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 census, the population was 268,100. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital...
jury found Veon guilty on 14 counts related to using taxpayer-paid bonuses to reward state workers for campaign efforts, illegal campaign fund-raising, other campaign efforts and a single count of conflict-of-interest for having aides drive two motorcycles to a North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
rally. Also convicted were two former aides, Brett Cott, found guilty on three counts, and Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink, found guilty on five counts. A third aide, Stephen Keefer, was acquitted of all charges against him. Veon's attorney, Dan Raynak, has vowed an appeal.
Sentencing
On June 18, 2010, Veon was sentenced to six to fourteen years imprisonment by Common Pleas Judge Richard A. Lewis.Incarceration
In July, 2010, Veon now "Inmate No. JP4714" was jailedPrison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
in the State Correctional Institution Laurel Highlands minimum security prison. Veon was assigned to Block H. Opened a year ago, Block H has concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
floors, traditional-style prison cell
Prison cell
A prison cell or holding cell or lock-up is a small room in a prison, or police station where a prisoner is held.Prison cells are usually about 6 by 8 feet in size with steel or brick walls and one solid or barred door that locks from the outside. Many modern prison cells are pre-cast. Solid doors...
s with metal doors that lock and a day room that resembles an airport terminal, with rows of blue plastic chairs. Each cell has a set of metal bunk beds, two stools, a toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
, a stainless steel table attached to the wall and a tall, narrow window. The cells are cramped, the doors are locked at night and inmates are required to sit, not wander, in the day room, where they play games such as Monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
or Parcheesi
Parcheesi
Parcheesi is a brand name American adaptation of the Indian Cross and Circle game Pachisi. Created in India perhaps as early as 500 AD, the board game is subtitled Royal Game of India because royalty played using color-costumed members of their harems as pieces on large outdoor boards. Such a court...
. The beds are made of sheet metal and topped with 4-inch-thick, plastic-covered mattresses that provide little cushioning. Typically, Block H is for offenders who need more supervision and not for white-collar criminals who follow the rules. Veon's job is that of a tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
, which pays $0.42 per hour.
External links
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives - Mike Veon official PA House website (archived)
- Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus - Rep. Mike Veon official party website (archive)