Upon Pratt's election as a judge, LaGrotta ran for his boss's seat. In 1986 he defeated RepublicanJim Gerlach, who is formerly a U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district. LaGrotta was considered a Casey Democrat because of his pro-life stance and his strong ties to organized labor. He won re-election nine times, largely with token Republican opposition. He faced one serious challenge in the GOP landslide year of 1994 winning with only 53% of the vote. After the 1994 scare, LaGrotta ran unopposed in four of his last five races. In 1992, LaGrotta ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district against incumbent Democrat Joseph P. Kolter who was implicated in the Congressional Post Office scandal. He finished fourth in a four-way primary that also included Ron Klink, the victor, and fellow state Representative Mike Veon. During his tenure, LaGrotta established himself as a strong advocate for his district, securing funds for 11 bridges in Ellwood City, leading opposition to a hazardous waste facility in his district, and lobbying for public works projects.
2006 primary election
LaGrotta ran for re-election for an eleventh term, but was defeated in the primary for the 2006 election by political newcomer Jaret Gibbons. The margin of defeat was 28 votes. The election focused on LaGrotta's support for the controversial 2005 legislative pay raise. Following the election, LaGrotta was appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Lawrence County Housing Authority in December 2006. He resigned this position in October 2007.
On November 14, 2007, LaGrotta was arraigned in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on two corruption-related felony charges, following the Attorney General's investigation into the 2006 bonus controversy. According to State Attorney GeneralTom Corbett, LaGrotta allegedly used his position to have his sister and niece paid over $26,000 from state funds. On December 20, he pleaded not guilty to the charges. On February 3, 2008, LaGrotta pleaded guilty to two felony counts of conflict of interest for having ghost workers on his payroll. He was sentenced to six months of house arrest, along with probation and fines. He will continue to receive his full pension of $48,000 per year, since conflict of interest convictions do not fall under the Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System's list of 23 crimes that require pension forfeiture. After his guilty plea, he stopped repaying the unvouchered expenses from the 2005 legislative payraise and was refunded the amount that he had previously returned.
Prescription altering guilty plea
On April 7, 2011, LaGrotta pleaded guilty to altering prescriptions he had submitted to three different pharmacies, in two Pennsylvania counties, to obtain more of the anti-anxiety medication Xanax. His plea included admissions of guilt in fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and forgery His sentencing was docketed for June 7, 2011.
Post-legislative career
In spite of his legal troubles, LaGrotta received $30,000 per year in his legislative pension. He is writing a book about his experiences and has launched a blog Politics As Usual, where he gives his unique perspective on political issues. The book, which cannot be published until his probation ends, is tentatively titled Be Careful, I’m Wired. He is also teaching a class on politics and government at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. In an interview with journalist John Micek of The Morning Call, LaGrotta said that following his house arrest, he was returning to Catholicism and contemplating his legislative career.
