The jury in his case found the congressman took an illegal $1 million loan to prop up a failed 2007 run for Philadelphia mayor. A handful of names circulated, from District Attorney Seth Williams to now former Mayor Michael Nutter. Committed to one day maybe six days after the primary, the scheduled start date of his trial fighting those criminal charges. Rep. Chaka Fattah was indicted Wednesday on racketeering charges tied to a host of public corruption schemes, the Department of Justice said. See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2010#District 2. The Fattahs used the cash to help buy a $425,000 vacation house in the Poconos, the indictment says, but Chenault-Fattah kept the Porsche - and even renewed its registration and took it to an auto shop months after signing the title over to the lobbyist, Herbert Vederman. Since 2006, Fattah has pioneered gun-buyback programs in Philadelphia with the Philadelphia Police. Sign up for the free Billy Penn newsletter and stay in the know, Fattahwasnt known as the type of person who would frequentlyhelp other politicos around town raise money. He brings up that former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush spent $136 million compared to Donald Trumps $11 million. Credit NBC10. Theyre both expected to start spending soon on television ads to increase name recognition in the district. Former Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., walks from the federal courthouse on Monday after his sentencing hearing in Philadelphia. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman, is married to longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. He reported for prison at Federal Correctional Institution, McKean near Lewis Run, Pennsylvania on January 25, 2017. The Fattah campaign defended itself, claiming that it had followed less restrictive federal rules in spending the money, but eventually returned a portion of the excess contributions to the exploratory committee following a settlement with the city's Board of Ethics. Meanwhile, Evans had $303,000 on hand and Muroff had $208,000. NEW JERSEY FEDERAL JUDGES SON KILLED, HUSBAND SHOT AT HOME. Housed within the White House and chartered on June 20, 2012, the IWGN convenes representatives across the Federal government to make recommendations about the future of neuroscience research. From 1995 to 2016, Fattah served as the U.S. Representative from Pennsylvanias 2nd Congressional District. Congressman Chaka Fattah, November 20, 2014. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 64 years old? Voters in Chinatown weigh in. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Those in high places will certainly know what happens in this courtroom today, said U.S. District Judge Harvery Bartle, III, as he sentenced Fattah, according to WPVI, a Philadelphia TV station. ( Photo via Facebook ), California residents do not sell my data request. Fattah, who began his career in the Pennsylvania statehouse and entered Congress in 1995, lost the spring Democratic primary days before his trial began and resigned after his conviction in June. (Of note: Fattah came in fourth in that race. Fattah resigned from office on June 23, 2016, following a racketeering conviction. And his family has fallen with him. or redistributed. The Congressman has an older son, Chaka Fattah, Jr., also a politician, who was convicted of felony bank and tax fraud in February 2016. While you have done much good, you also engaged in grave and widespread criminal activity, Bartle added. Congressman Chaka Fattah. Phillys mayoral candidates are tiptoeing onto TikTok. Fattah, 60, served 22 years in Congress before losing a Democratic primary in April. Congress works off seniority. Its the former home of Congressman Chaka Fattah and his wife Renee Chenault-Fattah, a 2.6-acre estate tucked away on a quiet lane in East Falls. He won a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, where he was able to steer millions of dollars in earmarks back home. ", When I asked how he's faring in federal prison, she said, "Chaka's doing great. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Legal Statement. Im as innocent as you are under our system, Fattah said. In November 2013, Fattah was invited to attend as Keynote speaker at the Annual Cooperatives Conference, hosted by the NCBA. Chenault-Fattah is focusing her attention on Alzheimer's disease and the disproportionate way it affects people of color. While in the U.S. House of Representatives. Suddenly, the popular broadcaster was a stay-at-home mom with a whole lot of time on her hands and a non-compete clause that sidelined her for a least a year. For someone so interested in advancing education for the disadvantaged, you had the temerity to steal from the Educational Advancement Alliance, a nonprofit supported by government funds, Bartle said. "After this, I would like to do something around cancer in our community," she said. He says the work he wants to complete will take him another decade. These are the people that have been voting for me and praying for me for all these years.. Fattah spent two decades in Congress before losing the primary this year. A year earlier in 2015, Fattah was indicted on charges of bribery, money laundering, and bank and mail fraud, among other charges, making him vulnerable in the primary. Fattahs criminal acts were part of a years-long scheme related to his unsuccessful bid to become mayor of Philadelphia. It's the former home of Congressman Chaka Fattah and his wife Renee Chenault-Fattah, a. Market data provided by Factset. The jury convicted him of leading a five-person racketeering enterprise that included the loyal aides and political consultants who did his bidding, comingling campaign, nonprofit and government funds and using them as directed for Fattahs personal and political needs. The legislation provides a 50% tax credit to donors who contribute to qualifying scholarship trusts that are recognized and registered with the Secretary of the Treasury. Renee Chenault-Fattah, wife of the indicted Rep. Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.), was not charged by federal authorities Wednesday - but the longtime NBC10 anchor did not escape the U.S. attorney's charging document. On July 29, 2015, Fattah and a group of associates were indicted on federal charges related to their alleged roles in a racketeering and influence peddling conspiracy. Two older structures with a link to that past also sit on these grounds: a carriage house thought to date to the 1800s and a one-room cottage with sleeping loft believed to be the oldest structure on the property. Advertisement Fattah's 10-year-prison sentence falls below the federal advisory guidelines, a range that Bartle said ran 15 years and eight months to 19 years and seven months. In return, Fattah reportedly pushed for an ambassadorial position for Vederman or for appointment to the U.S. Trade Commission, including hand-delivering a letter to President Barack Obama on the issue. Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours. So, how much is Chaka Fattah worth at the age of 66 years old? For these additional counts, Fattah was again sentenced to 10 years of incarceration on July 12, 2019. They include former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Herbert Vederman, of Palm Springs, Florida, who had sought the ambassadorship. So heres whatprosecutors say happened: Fattah and four of his close associates were indicted by federal prosecutors with the Department of Justice in July after they poked around in the congressmans finances for the better part of eight years. In 1994 Fattah was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives after defeating incumbent Congressman Lucian Blackwell in the Democratic Primary for Pennsylvanias Second Congressional District. ET. The congressman has never won less than 85 percent of the vote in the general, and in 2000 he defeateda Libertarian by garnering an unheard-of 98 percent of the vote. But a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in McDonnell v. United States a few days later changed the legal definition of bribery to exclude "pay for access and Fattah appealed his conviction, placing his sentencing on hold. On December 12, 2016, Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Ironically, Fattah says that one day he hopes his legacy in Philadelphia is not about his success at the polls or the elections hes won or even about his prominence in the Washington Democratic establishment, but rather, he says, about what hes done for his constituents and for the country. This dominance. Fattah was convicted in June on a number of federal corruption charges, including bribery, racketeering, money laundering, bank fraud, mail and wire fraud, and filing false statements. In 2012, Fattah negotiated a partnership between FIRST and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to provide robotics programs to 4 million youth by 2015. And the most recent campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Elections Commission show Fattah, who makes $174,000 a year in congressional salary, had less than $6,000 in his campaign coffers as of Dec. 31. He can point to his early and loud supportof President Barack Obama. 1601, and again in 2007 with H.R. The indictment says Chenault-Fattah e-mailed Vederman in January 2012 about purchasing her car. Ive won dozens and dozens of elections. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. His wife, Philadelphia TV news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, took a leave after her husband's indictment and then quit in February. If youve ever dreamed of living like a baron for less than a million bucks, nows your chance: the Fattahs loss is your gain. Fattah, frankly, doesnt care about the politicians who have backed his most well-knownopponent. Strategistswidely believe he has the most name recognitionin the field (absent the incumbent), as well as the most cashand a handful of top Philadelphia and state politicians standing behind him who are willing to throw in public support and money for ads. U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah Sr., the Democrat who represents a district that includes parts of Philadelphia, was indicted on Wednesday over allegations of political corruption. Fattah, a Democrat formerly representing Pennsylvanias second congressional district, was found guilty in June 2016. They say Fattah and his allies ran not one, but several schemes, that misappropriated funds and helped him further his own political and financial interests. Fattah told Bartle that he had helped tens of millions of people during his time in office, despite the crimes hed been convicted of committing. Both the main home and the carriage house have central air, and there are two garages on the property as well. Fattah has long been attempting to have his sentence one of the longest ever imposed for a member of Congress reduced. Meanwhile, Fattah has taken heat from the judge in the case for publicly claiming hes more focused on winning re-election than he is in defending himself. 3941-45 W. Netherfield Rd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19129 [Connie Gillespie | ElfantWissahickon Realtors], Philadelphia Shops and Resources Thatll Help Outfit Your Dream Home Office Space, The Most Walkable Philadelphia Suburbs and Neighborhoods. Former Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah (Pa.) was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday by a federal judge in Philadelphia. The FBI spent years investigating Fattah, and it long looked as if he would escape federal indictment. Or rather, Chaka and Renee. The trial was originally scheduled for May 2, 2016, but in April a judge had the date pushed back to May 16 to give the defendants time to review the excess of more than 100,000 documents accrued by the prosecution. A jury has decided that based on the evidence presented to them that I am guilty of charges presented by the government. When you get someone whos invested 10 or 20 years, and theyre in there and bringing resources back, it doesnt really make sense to get rid of them.. But the icing on this crooked cake is that Fattah is collecting a taxpayer-funded pension. This legislation will provide means to catalyze cooperative development, provide tools to entrepreneurs to bring cooperative to their communities, partner with financial institutions to provide grants a loans to developing businesses, offer technical training and professional development. U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle called the Philadelphia Democrats crimes astonishing given that he and his wife had an annual income that put them at or near the top 1 percent.. All the while he did it with his own little West Philadelphia political machine, with the support ofpeople like Hughes and Councilwoman Cindy Bass. His candidacy announcement took place next to the recently completed Microsoft School of the Future in the city's Parkside neighborhood to emphasize his campaign platform of better educational opportunities for city youth. He resigned from Congress two days later. This was her first interview since her husband's conviction, so I asked her about that not that I could get her to say much about Chaka, his legal case or the infamous 1989 Porsche that prosecutors alleged was a cover for a bribe from a lobbyist. His wife, former NBC10 news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, though not charged in his case, saw her career end this year after she was linked to the sham sale in 2012 of her Porsche convertible, a transaction prosecutors said was intended to cover up a bribe to her husband. The program offers Philadelphians the chance to exchange firearms for vouchers for groceries or other goods. While a court of appeals in 2018 threw out some of the bribery from Fattahs conviction, a judge last year kept his 10-year sentence intact. He won landslide after landslide every two years since 1994 without facing a formidable opponent once in the Democratic primary, and certainly not in the general election. Despite the successes, the connections, the seniority and the support, hes a careerpolitician whos nearly out of campaign funds and who couldnt pay the lawyers defending him on charges of using public money and charity dollars to further his political career and line the pockets of hisassociates. Chaka Fattah was born Arthur Davenport on November 21, 1956 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Arthur Davenport and Frances Brown. Chenault-Fattah started with NBC10 in 1991, according to her biography on the station's website. The Justice Department wanted Fattah incarcerated for 17 to 21 years. Fattah says he can get by largely on the fact that his name has been on the ballot for two decades. When you get someone whos invested 10 or 20 years, and theyre in there and bringing resources back, it doesnt really make sense to get rid of them., The congressman has never won less than 85 percent of the vote in the general, and in 2000 he defeateda Libertarian by garnering an unheard-of 98 percent of the vote. "People will say, 'We miss seeing you on TV and it's such a shame what happened to your husband and your family," Chenault-Fattah said. And for a while, it looked as if it was just that. "I had talked to a coworker this past summer, but would much rather it be in your possession," she wrote, according to the indictment. All they have to do is believe in the system.. Chaka Fattah's net worth Please enter valid email address to continue. This is a story about my funding of the bridge over the Schuylkill, but its really symbolic of a host of efforts across the district. Market data provided by Factset. In the 2011-12 election period, he spent $162,000 while the average winner of a House seat spent 10 times that, some $1.6 million. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. (Instead of a paywall). What hewilladmit: Raising cash for re-election while under the cloud of federal indictmenthas been a struggle. Theyre from the White House, The New York Times, The Inquirer, The Times of Israel. Committed to funding neuroscience research. . 4646) which proposed to repeal the federal income tax and replace it with a 1 percent "transaction tax" on every financial transaction whether paid by cash, credit card or any form of financial transfer, the only exception being transactions involving the purchase or sale of stock. In the 2016 election, Fattah was ousted in the Democratic primarythe real contest in his heavily Democratic, black-majority districtto state representative Dwight Evans. His father said hes spoken to his son, who is looking forward to appealing his own federal case. After Congress tightened ethics laws, convicted members of Congress were supposed to lose federal pensions. Fattah is only 64 years old, so his estimated lifetime pension is $1 million. Meanwhile, Evans had $303,000 on hand and Muroff had $208,000. But he was charged in 2015, and then convicted on all counts the following year. Discover Chaka Fattah's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. The measure calls for States to provide highly effective teachers, early childhood education, college prep curricula and equitable instructional resources to all students who attend public schools. She's done with that. He talks about how charges were dropped againsta Temple professor recently accused ofbeing a Chinese spy. In 2007 Fattah launched an unsuccessful bid for Mayor of Philadelphia. They dont even have to believe in me. He announced his immediate resignation from Congress two days later, on June 23. Fattah won his first election in 1982 by 58 votes , defeating a party-favored incumbent for the 192nd house seat in the Pennsylvania . He defeated the incumbent 58%-42%. He previously served in the Pennsylvania Senate and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. All the while he did it with his own little West Philadelphia political machine, with the support ofpeople like Hughes and Councilwoman Cindy Bass. Theres no better time to kick a candidate than when hes down. 2016 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ive helped tens of millions of people, Fattah said. Two of Fattah's political consultants and accomplices pleaded guilty and testified against him. The Fattahs were buying a vacation home in Shohola, Pa., the indictment says, and had agreed to pay just over $19,000 in settlement costs at closing. His parents divorced, and his mother married David Fattah, changed her name to Falaka Fattah, and changed her sons name as well. In 1984, Fattah completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman, is married to longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. Innocent until proven guilty has, predictably, become the congressmans mantra.