Ex-House Postal Official Pleads Guilty
The highest-ranking official to be indicted in the House Post Office scandal pleaded guilty Thursday in an investigation that could target members of Congress.
Former post office chief of staff Joanna G. O’Rourke, promising to cooperate with prosecutors, admitted two misdemeanors: embezzlement of government property and misuse of government funds by a public officer. Each carries a maximum penalty of a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Atty. Wendy Wysong said the government would have proved at trial that O’Rourke had conspired to “cash large campaign and personal checks.”
O’Rourke admitted that money was made available to cash the checks by withholding deposits of post office funds. She also admitted using a government express mail account for personal items and under the instructions of congressional staff members.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) and Pennsylvania Democratic Reps. Joe Kolter and Austin J. Murphy have been subpoenaed to testify in the investigation but have refused.
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