BREAKING NEWS: Judge dismisses charges against Mike Veon

Breaking news from Mark Scolforo of The Associated Press:

A judge is dismissing charges that a powerful former Pennsylvania lawmaker misused taxpayer money that he had directed to his nonprofit organization.

Harrisburg District Judge Joseph Solomon ruled Thursday that the attorney general's office did not show enough evidence to take the case against Rep. Mike Veon to trial.

Solomon also dismissed charges against Veon's one-time aide Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink.

Prosecutors say the pair illegally diverted millions of dollars from the Beaver County-based group, Beaver Initiative for Growth. Their lawyers say the two are innocent.

Veon is still facing charges in the Bonusgate corruption investigation in which members of the House Democratic Caucus allegedly handed out bonus money to state workers who were conducting political work on taxpayer time. Those charges are separate from the ones involving the nonprofit organization.