Popular lobbyist posts bail following sex assault charges, by William Bender, Philadelphia Daily News (September 22, 2014)

AT 7:36 P.M. on Aug. 21, Andrew "A.J." Marsico picked up his iPhone and tweeted:

"Overheard at bar 'what time are we on tonight?' 'The Eagles?' 'No, the Taney Dragons.' "

At 11:06 that night, the popular lobbyist was back on Twitter, posting a nighttime photo of City Hall.

It wasn't until nearly a month later that cops showed up in the middle of the night at Marsico's luxury apartment in Center City and arrested him for what they believe happened between those two tweets.

Marsico, 40, a well-connected political player who is married to 6ABC reporter Annie McCormick, was charged Saturday with sexually assaulting a 27-year-old woman inside his office at The Bellevue. The alleged assault occurred about 10 p.m. Aug. 21, police said.

"My client maintains his innocence and we're continuing to review the allegations," said Fortunato Perri Jr., Marsico's lawyer.

Marsico is a lawyer and senior associate at Greenlee Partners, a powerful lobbying firm with offices in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. His brother is Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico.

The arrest is unusual for a couple of reasons: Police took him into custody at 3 a.m. Saturday at the Ritz-Carlton, where he lives. And he has a stellar reputation in legal and political circles, both here and in Harrisburg.

"He is universally well-liked and respected in the professional community," Perri said.

Marsico and McCormick got married in April 2013 at XIX - located in the same building as Greenlee Partners, where the alleged assault occurred - then honeymooned in France. Former Gov. Ed Rendell presided over their private ceremony.

Marsico was released Saturday on 10 percent of $100,000 bail and is awaiting his preliminary hearing on charges that include aggravated indecent assault, unlawful restraint, reckless endangerment and false imprisonment.

The arrest has been reported, either online or on the air, by CBS3, NBC10 and Fox 29. 6ABC, where McCormick has worked since September 2012, reported on Marsico's arrest Saturday on the air, but it's online story was not posted until this morning. A 6ABC spokesman declined to comment yesterday.

Marsico's clients include the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, SugarHouse Casino, the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, Temple University, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Verizon, Walmart and Altria, the tobacco giant that fought the cigarette tax for Philly schools.

- Staff writers Molly Eichel and Chris Brennan contributed to this report.