Ex-Rep. Chaka Fattah Sentenced to 10 Years
“He used his position in Congress to benefit himself, rather than his constituents.”
Former Philadelphia Rep. Chaka Fattah has received 10 years in prison for racketeering, fraud, and money-laundering after his conviction on June 22.
A jury found Fattah guilty “on 22 counts related to misspending federal grant money and for schemes linked to an illegal $1 million loan he received from a friend to help fund a failed 2007 mayoral campaign in the city.”
The prosecutors said Fattah then “stole federal and charitable grant money to repay $600,000 of that loan.” Other schemes included accepting “$18,000 to try to help a friend win a presidential appointment as an ambassador, an effort that failed.” Instead, Fattah used that money as down payment on a Poconos vacation home “and to evade House ethics rules he said the money came from selling his wife’s Porsche.
From Politico:
“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.
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.
“While you have done much good, you also engaged in grave and widespread criminal activity,” Bartle added. “You abused your trust, time and time again.”
The Justice Department asked for 17 to 21 years:
“He used his position in Congress to benefit himself, rather than his constituents,” U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger said of Mr. Fattah after the sentencing. “The judge appropriately took into consideration the significance of his criminal conduct, but also took into consideration all of the work that he’s done on behalf of the citizens of Philadelphia.”
Three of Fattah’s associates have already received convictions on racketeering conspiracy.
Fattah represented Philadelphia for 22 years before facing defeat in his Democrat primary this April. He resigned in June after his conviction.
His son Chaka Fattah, Jr., is currently serving a five-year prison sentence on bank and tax fraud charges.
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Comments
What’s the difference between this guy and Hillary Clinton? Nothing – except she deserves a much longer sentence.
And he will be pardoned in three…two…
Mary Chastain,
This post is an example of “What’s that party?” It wasn’t until the penultimate paragraph that we found out that this crook was a Democrat.
We rightly criticize the LSM for hiding the party of the crook. There’s no need for this blog to keep us in such suspense.
(… the suspense being lessened by the news that Mr. Fattah represented Philadelphia…)
Sadly, that accusation would apply to most of our “representatives”. Have we ever seen a Congressman or Senator not run for re-election because the job didn’t pay enough?
I am told I’m a racist. I went door to door in Eddie Bernice Johnson’s district to say you are not being properly represented.
I would risk my life for a black man Because he would do it for me.
https://www.uscg.mil/history/articles/Carlton_Skinner.asp
“U.S.S. Sea Cloud, IX-99,
Racial Integration for Naval Efficiency”
http://www.pearlharbor.org/dorie-miller.asp
His name was Doris. Apparently because it became associated with women He could no longer be considered a hero.
It was OK that he was black. Just not Doris. Or something.
http://www.pearlharbor.org/dorie-miller.asp
http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2016/12/pearl-harbor-75th-remembering-dorie-miller-messman-50-caliber/
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2016/12/07/dorie-millers-fans-keep-fighting-honor-black-sailors-pearl-harbor-heroism
“Miller later said that he thought he had shot down one plane. Some versions of the story have Miller shooting down up to six Japanese planes. In fact, it is unclear whether or not he, or anyone else, on the battleship hit any. According to official records, there is no confirmation that anti-aircraft fire from the USS West Virginia shot down any planes on December 7th. Nonetheless, the anti-aircraft fire at the incoming planes made it more difficult for the enemy planes to press their attack. Whether or not Miller shot down one plane, several or nothing, he showed incredible courage under fire. He later helped pull wounded sailors in the water into lifeboats before he and the rest of the crew were ordered to abandon the sinking ship.
After the attack, local newspaper reports mentioned a “Negro messman” who had behaved heroically, but did not provide a name. The editors at the Pittsburgh Courier, one of the country’s most widely circulated black newspapers, sent a reporter out to identify the unnamed hero and found Dorie Miller. Overnight, through the efforts of black newspapers around the country, Miller went from nameless to modestly famous.
On April 1, 1942, Miller was commended by the Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox, and on May 27, 1942, he was presented with the Navy Cross by Admiral Chester Nimitz, the Commander in Chief for the Pacific Fleet on board the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise . The citation read: “For distinguished devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and disregard for his own personal safety…in the face of a serious fire, assisted in moving his captain, who had been mortally wounded, to a place of greater safety, and later manned and operated a machine gun..until ordered to leave the bridge.” His rank was raised to Mess Attendant First Class on June 1, 1942.
Dorie Miller was then sent on a short war-bonds tour in the US. His image was also featured on a Navy recruiting poster.
In 1943, Dorie Miller died while serving on the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay, when the ship was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. Miller was one of the more than 600 officers and sailors who died that day. Of the 916 crewmen, only 272 survived the attack.
Dorie Miller has not been forgotten. His story has been told and retold in song, poems, books, and movies. A US Navy frigate has been named in his honor as have multiple schools, parks, roads and public facilities. Miller has also been featured on a US postage stamp as one of four “Distinguished Sailors.” The following have been named in honor of Dorie Miller: ”
Liscome Bay blew up in such such a fashion that can only be explained, the torpedo hit the magazine. A magazine. Aviators reported the mushroom cloud went up to 2000 feet.
“”
Yes, Doris Miller went down with Liscome Bay.
“…Only 272 sailors survived the sinking of Liscome Bay, and 646 died. In addition to the Navy Cross, Miller was entitled to the Purple Heart Medal; the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; and the World War II Victory Medal.”
Is it really so surprising I can walk the streets of Eddie Bernice Johnson’s district and say, wake the f*** up?
Note date.
http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/history-up-close/sinking-uss-liscome-bay/
“The Sinking of USS Liscome Bay
posted in History Up Close on November 24, 2014”
Lock her up!
with a name like that you know he would do time.
he needs another 10 years tacked on for being a politician and supposed to know better. we need enhancers for the politicians,agents and cops who break the law so they get punished even more.
ignorance of the law is no excuse and doing so on purpose is worse.