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Quote: Philadelphia prosecutors announced criminal charges Tuesday against two more elected officials swept up in the undercover sting investigation that state Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane had argued could not be successfully prosecuted.

District Attorney Seth Williams announced conspiracy, bribery and conflict of interest charges against state Reps. Vanessa Lowery Brown and Ronald G. Waters, both Philadelphia Democrats, for accepting cash from an undercover operative.

In announcing the charges, Williams had harsh words for Kane, who he said had to be forced through “judicial intervention” to turn over key documents in the case.

As for Kane’s assertions that the sting investigation, begun by her predecessors, racially targeted elected officials, Williams said they were false, and that he was “disgusted” by them.[…]

According to sources, Waters is currently exploring a deal with prosecutors under which he would plead guilty to the felony charge of conflict of interest, but a bribery charge would be dropped.

While such a conviction would require Waters to step down from office, it would protect him from the loss of his state pension. A bribery conviction would cost him his pension.

It was unclear whether any negotiated plea would call for him to serve time behind bars.

Williams’ announcement brings to three the number of Philadelphia Democrats implicated in the sting to face charges. Two others – state Reps. Louise Williams Bishop and Michelle Brownlee – remain under the grand jury’s scrutiny.[…]

The plan to charge Waters and Brown will mark another professionally embarrassing moment for state Attorney General Kane, who earlier this year dared Williams, a fellow Democrat, to take on a case that she at one point characterized as “dead on arrival.”

Kane could not be reached for immediate comment.

Kane shuttered the sting in 2013, without bringing any charges and without informing the state Ethics Commission that the investigation had allegedly caught the four legislators, as well as a former city Traffic Court judge, Thomasine Tynes, on tape accepting cash or gifts.

The details of the case were buried in sealed court files.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politi...probe.html

Quote:According to sources, Waters is currently exploring a deal with prosecutors under which he would plead guilty to the felony charge of conflict of interest, but a bribery charge would be dropped.

While such a conviction would require Waters to step down from office, it would protect him from the loss of his state pension. A bribery conviction would cost him his pension.

Hell no. No plea agreement. We need to send a message to these scumbags that criminal behavior by our elected officials will not be tolerated. Lock their asses up.

Urban Dems running afoul with the law?

Impossible.