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Eric Ruth, a director of the Republican Information Technology office, helped plan and pay for computer programs that used taxpayer money and legislative staff members' time to help Republican political campaigns, according to a statewide grand jury report released yesterday.

Mr. Ruth, now 34, worked as House Republican Information Technology deputy director from September 2001 to July 2007. In 2007, Mr. Ruth left the House to work for Washington, D.C.-based Aristotle International, Inc., one of the companies that developed fundraising, voter data and other programs to help the campaigns. He lives in Boca Raton, Fla.

As deputy director, Mr. Ruth -- the nephew of the wife of former House Speaker John Perzel, R-Philadelphia -- prepared legislatively owned, handheld computers for use by campaigns, used public resources to repair and improve voter databases and fundraising software, and directed legislative staff members to create a campaign Web site for Mr. Perzel, among other activities, according to the presentment.

While working for the House, Mr. Ruth made $57,000 in 2006, according to the most recent payroll data available from legislative leaders.

He has been charged with 48 counts of conflict of interest, theft and conspiracy, according to the attorney general's office.

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