A county judge has rejected former state Representative Bill DeWeese's bid for a new trial on corruption charges.
 
Thursday's ruling by Dauphin County Judge Todd Hoover clears the way for DeWeese's lawyers to appeal his conviction to the state Superior Court. The judge defended several trial rulings that DeWeese cited as justification for a new trial. He also turned down a motion to modify DeWeese's 2 1/2- to five-year prison sentence.
 
The 62-year-old Democrat from Greene County is incarcerated at Retreat state prison near Wilkes-Barre. He was convicted in February of five felonies involving the use of public resources for political purposes.
 
He was unopposed in the April primary and remained on the ballot until a state judge ruled last week that his convictions make him ineligible for re-election.