Ex-congressional aide guilty for World Series trip

By NEDRA PICKLER The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - A jury says a former congressional aide broke the law by taking a trip to the World Series with a corporate official and lobbyist who picked up the tab.

The federal court jury in Washington on Thursday found Fraser Verrusio guilty of conspiracy and accepting an illegal gratuity for the trip to the first game of the 2003 World Series in New York. He also was found guilty of making a false statement for failing to report the trip on his House financial disclosure form.

Verrusio was policy director for the Transportation Committee under then-Chairman Don Young, a Republican still representing Alaska in the House. The trip was paid by United Rentals, a construction equipment rental company that wanted Verrusio's help getting an amendment in a highway money bill.