The former executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party has been indicted by a grand jury in Pennsylvania on 42 counts of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest, for his alleged participation in a scheme to raid the Pennsylvania treasury in order to award bonuses to legislative staffers who campaigned for Democrats.

Cott served as executive director of the Kansas Democrat Party in the 1990s, and, in 2000, was a recipient of the party’s Paul Pendargast Lifetime Achievement Award for his efforts on behalf of the Kansas party.

According to newspaper accounts, Cott, was serving as an aide to Former House Minority Whip Mike Veon when the alleged scheme unfolded. Veon faces 59 counts of theft, conspiracy and conflict of interest.

When Veon was not re-elected in 2006, Cott became an aide to Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, who was not charged by the grand jury. When the allegations against Cott began circulating in 2007, DeWeese fired Cott.

In its report, the grand jury summed up its findings: "Veon and his lieutenants created and operated a massive fund-raising operation within the Capitol. "Testimony and evidence introduced to the grand jury revealed that this fund-raising operation was fueled almost exclusively by personnel and resources paid for by the taxpayers."

Cott was perceived as something of a political whiz kid when he took over the helm of the Kansas Democratic Party at the age of 25.

Another former Kansas Democratic Party operative, Mary Isenhour, who worked closely with Cott during their years in Kansas, said she was surprised at the allegations made against him, according to a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"He's not the type of person who's going to do something that's wrong on purpose," said Isenhour, who served as an aide to former State Representative Gary Blumenthal and was herself a recipient of the Paul Pendargast Lifetime Achievement Award. "The guy goes to church every week. He's a very strong, practicing Catholic, a God-fearing guy."

Isenhour, now executive director of the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee, was not charged by the grand jury, nor is there any evidence that she was investigated for any role in the alleged scheme.

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