Updated: 12/12/2016 12:02 PM EST. He defeated the incumbent 58%-42%. Fattah supporters have raised questions about whether he received a fair trial, noting that one of the jurors was dismissed from the case. He represented the 2nd Congressional District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1994 to 2016. Ive helped tens of millions of people, Fattah said. Chaka Fattah (1956- ) - BlackPast.org Chaka Fattah (born Arthur Davenport; November 21, 1956) is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who served as a Democratic member of the U.S. House for Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 2016. We're sorry what happened to your family, but isn't it great that you went on to use your voice to do something which makes an impact around this issue of Alzheimer's.' save for his 2007 bid for mayor. Voting ina new congressman would be, in his words, a Chip Kelly trade something that, roughly speaking, changes the team but for the worse. 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. Former U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., was released from a federal lockup near Scranton last month to serve the rest of his sentence in either a halfway house or under house arrest in. The judge said it was equally astonishing that Fattah would steal money to cover his sons debts, to pay taxes and to buy a family vacation home. Fattah, a Democrat formerly representing Pennsylvanias second congressional district, was found guilty in June 2016. Chaka Fattah Jr. gets 5 years in prison, ordered to pay $1.1 million In May 2013, Fattah introduced the Creating Jobs through Cooperatives Act (HR 2437). His wife is Renee Chenault-Fattah (m. 2001). In November 2006, he declared his candidacy for Mayor of Philadelphia, where two-term incumbent Mayor John F. Street was barred from re-election by term limits, amid pressure from Democratic voters to keep his Congressional seat in order to maintain a Philadelphia representative on the powerful Appropriations Committee in the House. During his sentencing in 2016, U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle called the Philadelphia-area lawmaker's crimes "astonishing" given that he and his TV anchor wife had a $500,000 annual income that put them at or near the "top 1 percent.". Democrat Rep. Dwight Evans now holds Fattah's seat in Congress. Congressman Chaka Fattah, a Philadelphia Democrat, speaks to the center for American Progress in 2010. The loan was paid back using federal grant money intended for nonprofit organizations affiliated with Fattah. But money more oftendoes. 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. "Asking for $18,000 which is a steal.". Started in 1983 by Pennsylvanias Act 91 of 1983, it was only one of its kind until 2010 when Fattah added language to the Dodd Frank bill to provide similar assistance, to homeowners nationwide. Fattah Estate Goes on the Market in East Falls for $995K Politics Was " Fun ". Fattah, 60, served 22 years in Congress . He was convicted on 23 counts of racketeering, fraud, and other corruption charges on June 21, 2016, and resigned two days later. He says hes just fine garnering the support of the full Democratic city committee and the endorsement of unions likethe Service Employees International Union and AFSCME district council 33. "Our family misses and loves him. 'I'm as innocent as you': Chaka Fattah on his re-election fight and the In 2004, Fattah introduced a bill titled the "Transform America Transaction Fee," (H.R. On August 9, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia overturned Fattah's bribery convictions. Phillys hot podcast studio: How two longtime producers are growing the citys audio scene, Meet the 10 entrepreneurs vying set up shop inside Philly rec centers, Tax cuts, a new forensic lab, library service, hotspot help: Takeaways from Mayor Kenneys final city budget proposal, A real art project at Quinta Brunsons former school in West Philly mirrors the Abbott Elementary Mural Arts episode, Former Councilmember Bobby Henon sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for taking bribes, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. While it was one the harshest sentences ever handed out to a one-time member of Congress, federal prosecutors had asked for a longer term behind bars. Evans came in fifth of five.) Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. On August 9, 2018, however, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit overturned Fattahs bribery convictions. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. He even brought up that, earlier this month, charges were dropped against five Brooklyn teenagers accused of gang-raping a woman at a playground. Now I know its actually people in the barbershops and the beauty salons. Time Magazine named Fattah one of the 50 most promising leaders in the country. Both bills died without any action being taken. The program promotes college attendance among the nations most impoverished students. He talks about how charges were dropped againsta Temple professor recently accused ofbeing a Chinese spy. Chenault-Fattah, 57, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Chaka Fattah Jr., Frances Fattah, Chandler Faith Fattah, Cameron Chenault. Federal agents also saw the car in Fattah's garage in March 2014, the indictment says, more than two years after the transaction supposedly occurred. Weldon was investigated by the feds and never charged, but news of a probe may have cost him his seat. Fattah, 60, served 22 years in Congress before losing a Democratic primary in April. 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. The Emergency Homeowners Loan Program provides up to 24 months of assistance, through bridge loans, for distressed homeowners and is a scaled-up version of the HEMAP program. The elder Fattah, 59, faces his own corruption trial before Bartle on May 2. [Hes]got an incredible social network. The indictment says Chenault-Fattah e-mailed Vederman in January 2012 about purchasing her car. 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. 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. A lawyer before she became a journalist, Chenault-Fattah is said to earn a substantial salary from NBC10. 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. Fattah also hired Vederman's girlfriend to his staff as the transactions were taking place, according to the indictment. He is stepfather to her daughter Cameron Chenault. The case was then remanded for resentencing. Fattah, a Philadelphia Democrat who served 20 years in Congress, was convicted in 2016 ofmisusing more than $600,000 in federal grants and charitable funds and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. After emerging as a mayoral candidate, Fattah came under fire from the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police for his repeated calls to grant a new trial to Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of murdering police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981; he also was criticized for possibly unethical campaign spending, based on new campaign finance rules adopted by the city of Philadelphia. Fattah attended Overbrook High School in Philadelphia and graduated with his BA from the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School of Business in 1978. The Congressman has an older son, Chaka Fattah, Jr., also a politician, who was convicted of felony bank and tax fraud in February 2016. 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. or redistributed. They dont even have to believe in me. A handful of names circulated, from District Attorney Seth Williams to now former Mayor Michael Nutter. In the late 1990s she broadcast segments on her own pregnancy, which was achieved through anonymous artificial insemination. Upstairs youll find three bedrooms and a full bath. Convicted Former Congressman Still Draws Estimated $1 Million Federal Lifetime Pension. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. The long-running criminal scheme was related to paying back a loan from Fattahs unsuccessful run for Philadelphia mayor in 2007. The Congressman has an older son, Chaka Fattah, Jr., also a politician, who was convicted of felony bank and tax fraud in February 2016. Two of Fattahs political consultants pleaded guilty in the case and testified against him. Anecdotally, from what Ive seen, I wouldnt count him as the most popular of Philadelphia politicians., Retired Councilwoman Marian Tasco didnt mince words in 2006 when Fattah was in the process of running for mayor. , money, salary, income, and assets. Former state Rep. Dwight Evans, a fellow Democrat, now holds his seat. Fattah introduced "Communities Committed to College", H.R. GEAR UP has become the largest pre-college awareness program in the nations history and has given more than $2 billion toward the educational advancement of low-income students. Bartle noted that Fattah and his wife, a TV news anchor, made more than $500,000 in combined income, placing them in the top 1 percent of Americans. These are the people that have been voting for me and praying for me for all these years.. 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. Theyre from the White House, The New York Times, The Inquirer, The Times of Israel. The Justice Department wanted Fattah incarcerated for 17 to 21 years. He says hes spent more than $300,000 paying for his legal defense. "This is an extraordinarily difficult day for me and my family. She was never charged and has denied wrongdoing. The prize? 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. He publicly supported the Bring Our Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Act a bill that called for bringing the troops home within six months and transitioning the Iraqis to self-government. State Rep. Brian Sims declared himself a challenger, then dropped out before filing day. He also wrote the legislation for the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. The feds also claim that in 2008, Fattah triedto secure an ambassadorship forlobbyist Herbert Vederman, one of the co-defendants. The younger Fattah is serving a five-year sentence. ButFattah says he wont dignify the charges by getting into the nitty-gritty. In addition, Fattah received bribes from Herbert Vederman, a former deputy mayor of Philadelphia who served as an aide to his mayoral campaign. Fattah's wife, longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah and their two daughters were not charged. Chaka Chip Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. What hewilladmit: Raising cash for re-election while under the cloud of federal indictmenthas been a struggle. First published on December 12, 2016 / 12:36 PM. However, the law was riddled with loopholes, leaving convicted felons to collect taxpayer-funded pensions. Fattah served on the Appropriations Committee and on several subcommittees. She was cited in the case over the sham sale of her Porsche,. Meanwhile, Evans had $303,000 on hand and Muroff had $208,000. Philadelphia news outlets have filed a motion to unseal court documents related to that dismissal. He is from . Chenault-Fattah, who is also a lawyer,. Fattah won his first election in 1982 by 58 votes , defeating a party-favored incumbent for the 192nd house seat in the Pennsylvania . 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. Congressman William Gray decided to resign. Co-ops have a broad base and connection to community in the Philadelphia area. At press time, she'd raised about $10,000 of the $40,000 she needs. The longtime northwest Philadelphia state politician has friends in both Philadelphia and state politics, including Tasco, who has a reputation for being able to whip up a significant amount of votes in her 50th ward. President Obama has called for making the tax credit permanent. Convicted Former Congressman Still Draws Estimated $1 Million Federal African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Chaka-Fattah-Jr-Fraud-Sentencing-Federal-Court-367332741.html, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chaka-fattah-former-pennsylvania-congressman-10-years-prison-corruption/, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. 3759) which proposed to have the U.S. Treasury conduct a one-year feasibility study of a 1 percent transaction fee imposed on transactions made at any financial institution. That is not going to be the big deal of whatever is said about me, he says, pausing to point at the 22 articles that lay out his political accomplishments. His son, Chaka Fattah, Jr., is in federal prison after being convicted on charges he funneled government money to himself and defrauded others to pad a luxurious lifestyle. Vederman wrote back to Fattah, "love to purchase" the car, according to the indictment, and later wired $18,000 to Fattah. Fattah, frankly, doesnt care about the politicians who have backed his most well-knownopponent. 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. On February 23, 2010, Fattah reintroduced the bill as the "Debt Free America Act," (H.R. Theyre kind of dealing with the position, Fattah said. PHILADELPHIA A federal judge has sentenced Former Pennsylvania Congressman Chaka Fattah to 10 years behind bars on charges of racketeering, fraud and money laundering. 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. Fattah, who has so far largely escaped being attacked by challengers with regard to the litany of criminal charges and accusations against him, is harnessing the one thing that he has that Evans doesnt: 22 years in congress and a seat on the House Committee on Appropriations. Chenault-Fattah started with NBC10 in 1991, according to her biography on the station's website. Committed to fair housing. Chaka Fattah with Obama aide Valerie Jarrett on Air Force One. She is on leave from her anchor job. 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. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) Neither Fattahs attorney,Sam Silver, northe prison bureau would comment to local media on why Fattah was released early from lockup, but his release appears to have been the call of the Bureau of Prisons. In December 2011, Fattah through his role on the Appropriations Committee, directed the OSTP to establish an Interagency Working Group on Neuroscience (IWGN). Among the charges: Mail fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy, bribery and racketeering, which is essentially using a legit organization for illegal purposes. 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. The living room boasts such classic details as a chair rail and a marble fireplace; it also is decorated with wallpaper depicting West African scenes. See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2010#District 2. Fattah sentenced to 10 years in prison - POLITICO A subsequent Philadelphia Daily News investigation revealed that nonprofits receiving federal funding and connected to Fattah paid out over $5.8 million to Fattah allies and alleged that many of these payments were ethically dubious. These are the people that have been voting for me and praying for me for all these years.. Is This Chaka Fattah's Last Stand? - Philadelphia Magazine He had eight siblings and seven of them died from different forms of cancer". In 2005, Fattah introduced the bill again with H.R. However, the listing agent states that most of the information about this property in public records is inaccurate and that a recentlycompleted survey of the property is available. Wheres he been?, Love Philly? Evans is the challenger who could do the most damage to Fattahs campaign for re-election. 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. Thats an area where Evans whos successfully stumped for other candidates across the state has him beat. The estimated pension is at least $55,000 per year. ", She added, "This is a disease that has no effective treatment and no cure.". He talks about how former Mayor Michael Nutter spent about a third of whatbusinessman Tom Knox did in the 2007 mayoral race. / CBS/AP. In 1984, Fattah completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Ex-Philadelphia congressman Chaka Fattah gets 10 years for corruption He then repaid some of it with federal grant money from NASA that he had steered to an education nonprofit run by loyal former staffers. Thats an area where Evans whos successfully stumped for other candidates across the state has him beat. Wisely, Chenault-Fattah, now 60, decided to stick to what she's known for, which is telling stories. In this May 7, 2015 photo, Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., speaks during a My Brother's Keeper town hall at the School of the Future in Philadelphia. 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. Fattahwasnt known as the type of person who would frequentlyhelp other politicos around town raise money. Two days later, according to the indictment, the Fattahs had their mortgage for the Poconos property approved. Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. While you have done much good, you also engaged in grave and widespread criminal activity, Bartle added. 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. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. In the 2014 election, Fattah received 181,141 votes, or 87.7% of the vote, to 25,397, or 12.3%, to his Republican opponent, Armond James, a school teacher with no prior political experience. Local news should be free and accessible, which is why we ask readers like you to support our work rather than charging a fee to see it. However,he was once the top Democrat on the group that handles cash flow to Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies. Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Fattah insists the Justice Department racketeering case is politically motivated. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? If you know Chaka, he is the eternal optimist. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A spokeswoman for NBC10, Shawn Feddeman, said the station had no comment. 1579. Fattah has said he will appeal his conviction and sentence. 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. According to local lore, this cottage once served as a way station for hunters. For 16 minutes, the 59-year-old describes each one in varying detail. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. She sat in the courtroom Monday typing on an iPad during the hearing. Im as innocent as you are under our system, Fattah said. NEW JERSEY FEDERAL JUDGES SON KILLED, HUSBAND SHOT AT HOME. The sale price should just about cover the amount Chaka swiped from the government and nonprofit organizations to repay the illegal $1 million campaign loan that landed him in prison. Despite apparently selling the car to Vederman in January, the indictment says, Chenault-Fattah in May renewed the car's registration in her name, had the vehicle serviced in Conshohocken in June, and adjusted the car's insurance for the winter in November. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia remanded for new sentencing and Fattah was again sentenced to 10 years on July 12, 2019. The Pennsylvania Democrats son, Chaka Fattah Jr., is already in prison on bank and tax fraud charges. It is unclear but the Federal Bureau of Prisons database shows he is in a residential reentry center in Philadelphia. 2130 which had a single cosponsor, Democratic Rep. Brian Baird of Washington. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. I kind of want to leave it there.". Theyre both expected to start spending soon on television ads to increase name recognition in the district. Fattah represented the 2nd district in Pennsylvania, an overwhelmingly Democratic district, in the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2016. Just days later, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in McDonnell v. United States which altered the legal definition of bribery to exclude "pay for access." December 12, 2016 / 12:36 PM If you're a human and see this, please ignore it. On the basis of this ruling, Fattah appealed his conviction in October 2016, placing his sentencing on hold. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 64 years old? Chaka Fattah is a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Chenault-Fattah did let me know, though, that her marriage remains intact. 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. And his family has fallen with him. Fattah is married to his third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster on WCAU-TV (NBC 10). Former Congressman Chaka Fattah sentenced to 10 years in prison for In May 1986, he received his master's degree in Governmental Administration from the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government. His wife, Philadelphia TV news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, took a leave after her husband's indictment and then quit in February. Former Rep. Chaka Fattah Sentenced To 10 Years For 'White-Collar - NPR 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. Fattah has also added a 1 percent tax credit designed to eliminate the impact of the measure on couples making less than $250,000 a year.