Informant testifies in ex-NJ lawmaker's trial

(AP) - The government's star witness in thecorruption trial of a former New Jersey lawmaker says he bribedmany public officials as an FBI informant.

Solomon Dwek testified Wednesday that he became a governmentwitness to avoid a harsher sentence for his own illegal real estateschemes.

He was about to describe his exchanges with defendant Daniel VanPelt when the judge halted testimony for the day.

Dwek will return to the witness stand Thursday morning. Van Pelt, a former New Jersey assemblyman, is accused of accepting a $10,000 payment to influence a development project in his hometown of Waretown.

Van Pelt's lawyers say he was acting as a paid consultant.

He was among 44 people arrested in July 2009 in the state'slargest corruption sting.