Republicans in Pennsylvania's Senate have been paying the legal bills of the chamber's ex-security chief in lawsuits by two women accusing him of harassing them while on the job as Senate security guards.
Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati's office has approved at least $23,355 to cover the legal bills of former security director Justin Ferrante, according to a report published by The Philadelphia Inquirer, LNP and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
An aide to Scarnati says Senate officials decided to cover Ferrante's bills in part because the Senate is also named as a defendant and that some allegations in the lawsuits "are likely not accurate."
Ferrante has denied all allegations of wrongdoing or misconduct. Ferrante resigned in late 2017 amid allegations including texting the women photos of genitals and feces.
