Jane Orie's chief of staff Jamie Pavlot (above, with staffer Joshua Dott) thought she saw "flashes" when they carried materials out of the senator's office a couple days before the 2009 election. You bet she did -- DA's investigators were shooting pictures of them, including the one above.

Ms. Pavot's testimony continued today, and included a last moment directive from the senator to set up a real campaign office, just before Jane Orie Melvin's election to the state Supreme Court. An intern had reported campaign activities to the DA and to Pitt, and the office was in scramble mode, she claimed.

From Jim O'Toole:

She identified an email she received form the senator later that Friday, just four days before the election in which her sister, Jane Orie Melvin, would win a seat on the state Supreme Court.  The e-mail’s subject line was: “Campaign headquarters.”

“We need to begin finding one,’’ the body of the message continued.

“Set up desk, etc. Josh [Dott, another staffer and prosecution witnes] needs to carry laptop every day once we get headquarters and set up laptop in campaign … have papers, etc. there.’’

Ms. Pavlot described returning to the legislative office Sunday, two days later, to prepare a letter to Ms. Rioja and Pitt officials reiterating the denials of her initial phone conversation.
“At no time has any member of my staff engaged in any political activity during or on state working time,’’ the letter said in part.

She said she discussed the letter with Mr. Dott, who came in to assist her, and said, “We thought it was a mistake … that we were being untruthful.’’