While Verizon certainly is no saint on the regulatory and legal front, particularly in Pennsylvania, this week's trial of former Democratic State Representative Vincent J. Fumo shows that political telecom skulduggery works both ways. Fumo, who was indicted in 2007 for multiple instances of some truly epic corruption, is facing trial this week in Philadelphia. The Philly Inquirer reports on the testimony this week of former Verizon President Daniel Whelan, who recounts how Fumo would ratchet up the regulatory pressure on the telco until Verizon opened their wallet:The report notes that in return for the donation to the Pops, Fumo agreed to drop an effort to separate Verizon into retail and wholesale units. All told, Whelan says Fumo wanted $50 million from Verizon -- including $15 million to be deposited in a bank owned by Fumo's family, $2.5 million for Fumo's law firm, and $15 million for Citizens' Alliance for Better Neighborhoods, a charity whose funds Fumo allegedly used for personal benefit.

Fumo isn't being charged with his dealings with Verizon -- Whelan was simply brought in as a character (or lack thereof) witness. Of course Pennsylvania is somewhat known for its corruption, and this corruption works both ways. Verizon has certainly benefited from Pennsylvania's dysfunction in the past, grabbing millions in unaccountable subsidies, or specially tailored laws banning cities from building their own broadband services without Verizon's ok.

Fumo appears to have simply taken the state's "normal" greasy dealings to an entirely new level.