BUFFALO, N.Y. — A judge unsealed an eight-count indictment against former Erie County Democratic Committee Chairman Steve Pigeon Friday morning in federal court. The charges include bribery and wire fraud.

"No one likes to be charged with crimes and obviously if you're already facing these crimes at the state side, you scratch your head as to why now we're going to duplicate those things on the federal side,” said Paul Cambria, Pigeon’s attorney.

More than a year ago, the state attorney general's office brought similar charges accusing Pigeon of exchanging favors with state Supreme Court Justice John Michalek in order to gain influence.

That case took a hit this summer when a judge ruled email evidence be suppressed.

"I think what they're going to seek over here is hope that the federal law is different and more liberal from their standpoint but I think that we'll have a lot to say about that,” Cambria said.

The federal indictment also heavily cited emails between Pigeon and Michalek, including Pigeon's efforts to help a member of the judge's immediate family get a job with the Obama campaign in 2012.

Michalek has already taken a plea agreement with the state, promising cooperation in exchange for a lighter sentence.

"Without looking at every detail that's in the (federal) indictment, it appears obvious that they're planning on him being part of this case as well, so we'll see how that goes,” Cambria said.

The attorney general's office said it’s common for state and federal prosecutors to move forward with charges at the same time, and in Pigeon’s case they’ve been investigating the case for years.

The state is appealing the evidence suppression ruling and said it intends to continue to vigorously pursue its prosecution.

"The only way you can appeal, if you're the prosecution, from losing a suppression motion is to represent that if you don't win the motion at the appeal, your case is over,” Cambria said.

The U.S. Attorney's office also dropped charges Friday filed earlier this year that Pigeon coordinated and solicited a back-door donation from a foreign national to the governor's reelection campaign.

Cambria said yet another case involving alleged election law violations against his client is stalled in state Supreme Court.

The latest charges hold a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, although Cambria said under federal guidelines they would likely be less severe.

Pigeon is due back in federal court in February.