State Reps. Ron Waters and Vanessa Lowery Brown were indicted Tuesday by Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams on charges of political corruption.
Both surrendered and were taken into custody.
Waters, 64, and Brown, 48, were charged with criminal conspiracy, bribery, conflict of interest and failure to make required disclosures in statement of financial interests.
“When they were before the grand jury Ron Waters and Vanessa Lowery Brown admitted to taking money and acknowledged they knew it was wrong each time they did it,” Williams said.
Both elected officials turned themselves into authorities in Dauphin County.
Waters, a member of the state House of Representatives since 1991 and secretary for the House Democratic Caucus, allegedly accepted payments from confidential informant Tyron B. Ali beginning in October 2010. Altogether Waters allegedly took $8,750 in exchange for his “no” vote on House Bill 934. The grand jurors determined that Waters allegedly set up and attended a meeting with a Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) official. The purpose of which was regarding collections contracts and helping a friend of Ali get a job at PPA.
Brown, a member of the House since 2009, allegedly accepted five payments beginning in Feb. 2011. In total, she allegedly accepted $4,000 in exchange for a “no” vote against state liquor store privatization in addition to other legislative issues.
Williams also explained that the grand jurors carefully examine public criticisms about the investigation.
“In particular the grand jury investigated claims that the original investigation was racist and targeted African Americans,” Williams said. “They examined claims the informant wasn’t credible because of his own criminal case, that the subjects were entrapped and that a comprehensive review of the case found no basis for bringing charges. The grand jury found each of those criticisms empty. Regarding the criticism the investigation employed racial targeting the grand jury found that such a claim was false.”
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