TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Lawyers for former Vigo County School Corporation Superintendent Daniel Tanoos filed a motion to move his bribery case to the Indiana Supreme Court. Now the State has asked the Court to deny the motion.

Tanoos was charged with bribery in September of 2018. He’s accused improperly awarding school contracts to Energy Systems Group in exchange for various perks like meals and concert tickets.

Since his arrest, Tanoos’ defense team has been pushing to have the case dismissed. After the appeals court upheld a lower court’s ruling that the case could continue, the defense asked to have the case moved to the Indiana Supreme Court.

Representing the State of Indiana, the Attorney General’s Office Monday filed its response asking the Court to deny the motion.

Tanoos’ legal team argued that “generalized bribery” was not recognized by the State of Indiana; however, the AG’s office said the former superintendent’s acts were “unambiguous quid pro quo” and the charges against him align with long-standing Indiana precedent.

“The Court should accept review of a bribery case when there is a particular need for its intervention; an interlocutory appeal that does nothing to upset existing law is not such an occasion,” the State concluded.