HAMILTON — Breaking a two-year silence, the former chairman of the Butler County Democratic Party testified Monday in the trial of Attorney Mark Conese, accused of illegally pressuring an employee into contributing his salary to the party.

        Donald A. Daiker said that he was cooperating in exchange for his future plea to a misdemeanor charge involving a March 1, 2000, meeting with Mr. Conese and Brent Dixon, a part-time employee of the Butler County Board of Elections. Mr. Conese and Mr. Daiker, then Democratic party leaders and elections-board members, told Mr. Dixon in a tape-recorded conversation he could lose his job unless he surrendered his $4,800 after-tax salary to the party. But Mr. Daiker said no coercion was intended.

        Mr. Conese is accused of misconduct of an elections-board member, a fourth-degree felony, and a misdemeanor charge of soliciting or receiving improper compensation. A former domestic relations court judge, Mr. Conese faces multiple possible punishments if convicted, including action against his law license and time behind bars.

        Last year, Mr. Daiker asserted his right against self-incrimination and declined to answer questions in a hearing that led the Ohio Secretary of State to remove Mr. Conese from the elections board. Mr. Daiker resigned from the board.

        Defense lawyer Michael Shanks argued that the meeting was a “set-up” to give the Dixon family an excuse to switch political parties. Assistant Prosecutor Steve Tolbert said Mr. Dixon “was threatened and coerced in order to keep his job.”

        Mr. Dixon said that if party officials had merely asked for his contribution, he would have gladly given it. Rather, he said, they “demanded” it.

        “It still insults me to this day,” he said.

        Days after the incident, the Dixons, long-time Democrats, became registered Republicans.

        The trial resumes today before a jury of eight women, four men and Visiting Judge Jeffrey E. Froehlich.

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