While Rep. John Rogers was at the Alabama State House with other lawmakers today, his attorney was in federal court in Birmingham dealing with the longtime Democrat’s federal corruption charges.

Though Rogers was not present, his attorney said in federal court that his client was pleading not guilty in his latest indictment, with new charges related to an alleged kickback scheme involving public funds.

“He’s in Montgomery attending to his legislative duties today,” John C. Robbins, attorney for Rogers, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Staci G. Cornelius.

Rogers, 83, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, three counts of obstruction of justice, and aiding and abetting the making of a false statement to federal investigators.

The charges added on to his original indictment in September, alleging he offered public money to the founder of a nonprofit in exchange for the founder lying to the FBI about a kickback scheme involving public tax money. Last fall, he spent a week in the Cullman County jail for violating the terms of his bond.

After the arraignment hearing on Thursday morning, Robbins told reporters outside the Hugo L. Black Federal Courthouse in Birmingham that Rogers’ trial has been reset for June.

“He’s in good spirits,” Robbins said.

Rogers has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in interviews with AL.com. Rogers also previously told AL.com that he rejected a plea deal from federal prosecutors, an offer that would require him to resign from office and plead guilty.

Rogers’ longtime assistant, Varrie Johnson Kindall, 58, of Chelsea, also did not appear in court for her arraignment today. Her attorney, public defender Courtney Murtha, entered a not guilty plea on her behalf.

Earlier this week, court documents revealed that Kindall is set to plead guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire fraud and obstruction of justice, in exchange for the dismissal of 22 other charges, per court records. She also agreed to pay nearly $198,000 to the Jefferson County Community Service Fund and more than $48,000 to the IRS, per the agreement.

Her plea hearing is scheduled for Feb. 26 before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler at the federal building in Tuscaloosa.

Federal prosecutors allege Rogers and Kindall were involved in misusing public money from the Jefferson County Community Service Fund, money that was intended to support two nonprofits: the Piper Davis Youth Baseball League, overseen by former Rep. Fred Plump, and an unnamed organization, per court documents. Rogers has previously identified the founder of that unnamed organization as George Stewart, who leads the American Gospel Quartet Convention.

Federal prosecutors also allege that Kindall conspired to skim nearly $200,000 in public money in the scheme.

In May, Plump resigned from his seat and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of obstruction of justice.

Kindall is also facing charges in a separate federal case. In September, she pleaded guilty to charges for taking nearly $88,000 worth of federal retirement payments, money intended to be paid to her parents, who had died. Her sentencing for that case has been postponed, and the court docket doesn’t report a new date.

Robbins declined to comment on Kindall’s guilty plea.

“Ms. Johnson’s got to do what she thinks is best,” he said.