Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 64 years old? All rights reserved. He defeated the incumbent 58%-42%. But money more oftendoes. ", When I asked how he's faring in federal prison, she said, "Chaka's doing great. Meanwhile, Evans had $303,000 on hand and Muroff had $208,000. . Its main floor features a living room and great room on either side of a central fireplace, a modern kitchen, a TV room with powder room and a laundry. Im as innocent as you are under our system, Fattah said. 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.. One man standing outside a barbershopon Lancaster Avenue put it this way: We keep supporting these people, keep electing them, but they always end up doing dumb shit.Many are concerned Fattah is just another in a long line of political figures exposed of beinginvolved in shady dealings. 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. In 1987, Fattah founded the Graduate Opportunity Initiative Conference, an annual three-day informational and scholarship conference which aims to significantly increase the enrollment of underrepresented graduate students studying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM fields). Fattah insists the Justice Department racketeering case is politically motivated. 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. Upon entering the political world at age 25, he became a lawmaker and served six years as Pennsylvania state representative, followed by six years as state senator. In 2005, Fattah introduced the bill again with H.R. A jury has decided that based on the evidence presented to them that I am guilty of charges presented by the government. After being sentenced to 10 years in prison for a 23-count conviction for racketeering, fraud and other corruption charges, disgraced former Congressman Chaka Fattah was released from prison last July after about one year. After Congress tightened ethics laws, convicted members of Congress were supposed to lose federal pensions. Fattah ran for re-election to his seat in 2016, but he was defeated by Dwight Evans in the Democratic primary. The Court of Appeals remanded for a new trial as to certain bribery and money laundering counts, concluding that the jury had not been properly instructed regarding official acts in a bribery context. 3941-45 W. Netherfield Rd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19129 | TREND images via Elfant Wissahickon Realtors. By Fattahs own assessment, he could soonhold the purse strings of a nation in his hands. The program promotes college attendance among the nations most impoverished students. A lawyer before she became a journalist, Chenault-Fattah is said to earn a substantial salary from NBC10. Voting ina new congressman would be, in his words, a Chip Kelly trade something that, roughly speaking, changes the team but for the worse. Updated at 3:25 p.m. For example, Fattah used $23,000 in nonprofit funds to repay his sons college loans and took an $18,000 bribe to try to help a friend become an ambassador. Tom Wolf and Mayor Jim Kenney, the latter ofwhom praised Evans for being someone who has built relationships and is not a divisive figure.. These are the people that have been voting for me and praying for me for all these years.. She is on leave from her anchor job. Committed to funding neuroscience research. Fattah won his first election in 1982 by 58 votes , defeating a party-favored incumbent for the 192nd house seat in the Pennsylvania . Fattah, 60, served 22 years in Congress . In 2007 Fattah launched an unsuccessful bid for Mayor of Philadelphia. The 22-year Congressman, indicted on federal corruption charges, grants a rare interview as he faces an unprecedented challenge. After Fattah rattles off his accomplishments, he draws comparisons to others he says were unfairly targeted by law enforcement. Some of the earliest charges stem from Fattahs failed bid for Philadelphia mayor in 2007, when his early lead was dwindling just weeks before the primary and he was running low on cash. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Theyre kind of dealing with the position, Fattah said. "[That] has nothing to do with the fact that Ive been found on the wrong side of these questions by a jury.. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. Some of the major players in the city leadership maybe are not embracing me because allegations have been made about me, Fattah said. 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. His parents divorced when he was young, and his mother soon remarried to a man she met at a national conference on black power in 1968. PHILADELPHIA A federal judge has sentenced Former Pennsylvania Congressman Chaka Fattah to 10 years behind bars on charges of racketeering, fraud and money laundering. She's done with that. He talks about how charges were dropped againsta Temple professor recently accused ofbeing a Chinese spy. Fattah insists the Justice Department, though led by fellow Democrats, has been out to get him and his family for years. "Asking for $18,000 which is a steal.". He talks about how former Mayor Michael Nutter spent about a third of whatbusinessman Tom Knox did in the 2007 mayoral race. 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. As he awaited his sentence, Fattah said he had mixed emotions: saddened to find himself in court but grateful for the work he was able to do. She was cited in the case over the sham sale of her Porsche,. 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. Its very hard he said. The nonprofit efforts including a NASA-funded mobile science classroom emblazoned with Fattahs name that roamed Philadelphia during the mayoral campaign helped promote Fattahs political career, prosecutors said in their sentencing memo. Fattah is only 64 years old, so his estimated lifetime pension is $1 million. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. 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. The only poll conducted so far suggests Evans is in the lead, but theres a caveat: Evans, who didnt respond to a request for comment. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Fattah attended Overbrook High School in Philadelphia and graduated with his BA from the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School of Business in 1978. 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. By misusing campaign funds, misappropriating government funds, accepting bribes, and committing bank fraud, as alleged in the Indictment, Congressman Fattah and his co-conspirators have betrayed the public trust and undermined faith in government.. Fattah was the lead Democrat responsible for funding some of the largest science agencies in the federal system (NASA, NSF, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Advertisement 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. Chenault-Fattah started with NBC10 in 1991, according to her biography on the station's website. Fattah eventually came in fourth in the Democratic primary, close behind fellow Congressman Bob Brady but well behind former city councilman Michael Nutter, who went on to win the fall general election handily. Among the charges: Mail fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy, bribery and racketeering, which is essentially using a legit organization for illegal purposes. He was sentenced on Dec. 12, 2016 to 10 years in prison and he reported to Federal Correctional Institution, McKean on Jan. 25, 2017. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) Current law requires that schools within the same district provide comparable educational services; this bill would extend that basic protection to the State level by requiring comparability across school districts. Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. said Fattah had rightly given up his ranking position. Fattah received an F rating from the National Rifle Association and an A+ rating from the Coalition on Gun Violence and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence for his positions on gun control. Fattah used the money to pay personal expenses, including his taxes. Legal Statement. It was recently announced that his wife who was not charged was no longer at NBC 10 after a six-month period on leave from the station, and Fattah Jr. is in a jail cell. Chaka Fattah of racketeering, bribery, money laundering, and fraud. At press time, she'd raised about $10,000 of the $40,000 she needs. These are the people that have been voting for me and praying for me for all these years.. Congressman Chaka Fattah, November 20, 2014. The only poll conducted so far suggests Evans is in the lead, but theres a caveat: Evans, who didnt respond to a request for comment, paid for that poll. Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. He touted the possibility that such a system would bring in so much money it would allow for greatly increased federal spending, saying the "excess funds" would "provide universal health care, support an equitable public school finance system, and fund economic development in urban and rural areas," in addition to extinguishing the national debt and eliminating all other federal taxes. Co-ops have a broad base and connection to community in the Philadelphia area. 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. Prosecutors say he also used $27,000 in charity funds to pay down his son's college loans and took an $18,000 bribe to help a friend become an ambassador. The credit is unique in that families under a set income without a tax liability are eligible for a tax rebate. In the 2016 election, Fattah was ousted in the Democratic primarythe real contest in his heavily Democratic, black-majority districtto state representative Dwight Evans. While you have done much good, you also engaged in grave and widespread criminal activity, Bartle said. I got to ask former WCAU-TV anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah anything I wanted about Alzheimer's disease. "Our family misses and loves him. Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. He also wrote the legislation for the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). 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.". Experts seem to agree that prosecutors have their hands full trying to prove theircharges because of a long paper trail (900,000 pages of government evidence) that will have to be nailed down in court. Fattah and his wife, Renee Chenault Fattah, also allegedly used bribery proceeds to "close on a vacation home" in the Poconos by falsely disguising an . On August 9, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia overturned Fattah's bribery convictions. 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. 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. 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. This search result is here to prevent scraping, 3941-45 W. Netherfield Rd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19129, Just Listed: Wash West Trinity Condo for Sale, On the Market: Quakertown Contemporary Manor House for Sale, On the Market: Ottsville Farmhouse for Sale with Organic Farm, The 50 Hottest Philadelphia Neighborhoods and Nearby Towns, Just Listed: Rittenhouse Square Full-Floor Duplex Condo for Sale. When former WCAU-TV co-anchor Renee Chenault wedded former Congressman Chaka Fattah in 2001, the Daily News proclaimed theirs the marriage of a century. The bill died without attracting any co-sponsor. Fattah was a former state lawmaker and Philadelphia official who was elected to Congress in 1994. But Fattah says hes also more committed now than he ever has been. On the basis of this ruling, Fattah appealed his conviction in October 2016, placing his sentencing on hold. Theres no better time to kick a candidate than when hes down. He's currently serving a 10-year prison sentence. Congressional pensions are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). 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. They dont even have to believe in me. Chenault-Fattah, who used to anchor her station's 4 and 6 p.m. newscasts, went on a six-month leave that eventually became permanent. has allowed him to spend little on campaigning. Weldon was investigated by the feds and never charged, but news of a probe may have cost him his seat. Since 2011, it has assisted 4.5million students and their families. Richardson Dilworth, a professor of politics and the director of Drexels Center for Public Policy (and, yes, grandson of the former mayor), observed that Fattah has great name recognition in his district, andsaid hes not convinced his indictment is going hurt him much at the polls. Fattah is married to his third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster on WCAU-TV (NBC 10). Chenault-Fattah has sold the 2.6-acre estate in East Falls that had been their marital home and downsized into something smaller near Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, where their daughter, Chandler, is an eighth grader. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today! or redistributed. On November 5, 1991, City Councilman Lucien Edward Blackwell won the election with a plurality of 39% of the vote defeating Fattah (28%), John F. White (28%), and Nadine Smith-Bulford (5%). A source speculated to The Philadelphia Inquirer that the decision could be tied to coronavirus concerns. 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. 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. He challenged the FBI's focus on his wife . The FBI further alleged that Fattah accepted an $18,000 bribe from a man seeking an ambassadorship. Property records indicate the house, near the Delaware River north of Milford, has about 2,800 square feet with three bedrooms, 21/2 bathrooms, a fireplace, and a deck. In 1984, Fattah completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. AOTC provides up to $2500 tax credit for families to assist them with the cost of college. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Since 2011, the Congressman was able to negotiate an increase of $30M to investment in DOJ programs that fund groups including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Ambition Is an Asset. He brings up that former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush spent $136 million compared to Donald Trumps $11 million. Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours. Ive helped tens of millions of people, Fattah said. He can point to his early and loud supportof President Barack Obama. Chaka Chip Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. People got to be real careful about taking out a guy like that, State Sen. Vincent Hughes, a longtime Fattah supporter, Congress works off seniority. 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. 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. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. 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. We will update Chaka Fattah's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. In 2004, Fattah introduced a bill titled the "Transform America Transaction Fee," (H.R. Andthe Department of Justice contends its investigators werent unfairly targeting the congressman. On December 12, 2016, Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison. On December 12, 2016, Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison as a result of the conviction. To cement the transaction, Fattah provided a bank a copy of a bill of sale for the vehicle, the indictment says, which Chenault-Fattah had signed as the seller. With that said, endorsements can sometimes help win elections. They include former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Herbert Vederman, of Palm Springs, Florida, who had sought the ambassadorship. In August 2014, Fattah's longtime aide and close confidant Gregory Naylor pled guilty to federal charges in a complex money laundering scheme used to hide an illegal million-dollar loan that a candidate, unnamed in that indictment, received for his failed mayoral campaign in 2007. Fattah is also the creator of Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). Or rather, Chaka and Renee. Fattah spent two decades in Congress before losing the primary this year. Evans is the challenger who could do the most damage to Fattahs campaign for re-election. A spokeswoman for NBC10, Shawn Feddeman, said the station had no comment. Committed to youth mentorship. Congressman Chaka Fattah, a Philadelphia Democrat, speaks to the center for American Progress in 2010. 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. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, Rep. Chaka Fattah responds to corruption charges: "This is not Deflate-gate", NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, convicted of misspending government grants and charity money to fund his campaign and personal expenses. 20072023 Blackpast.org. 2016 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The couple, married in 2001, have one daughter, Chandler Fattah. His wife, former NBC 10 anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, was labeled as "Person E" in his indictment; she is accused of being a participant in falsely reporting the sale of her Porsche to a . Rep. Chaka Fattah was indicted Wednesday on racketeering charges tied to a host of public corruption schemes, the Department of Justice said. But this time around, she intends to be an advocate forcauses about which she's passionate. For these additional counts, Fattah was again sentenced to 10 years of incarceration on July 12, 2019. Congressman Chaka Fattah. For context, heres what geographic area the second district covers: [googledocs url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=zpCiRP_-CLNE.kuzLxa1XGo9o height=480 width=640]. Theyre from the White House. 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. Chenault-Fattah, who is also a lawyer, spent 25 years with WCAU-TV before she resigned after the indictment named her a participant in the bribery scheme. 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 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. The bill has national support from co-op and EOB advocates and members. He was ordered to report to prison by Jan. 25, 2017. 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. the Service Employees International Union, spent about a third of whatbusinessman Tom Knox did, a Temple professor recently accused ofbeing a Chinese spy, Experts seem to agree that prosecutors have their hands full, 5 things to know about Joanna McClinton, Pa.s first Black woman House speaker, How to get on the primary ballot in Philly (and why candidates get kicked off), What should Philly mayoral candidates answer about public safety? / CBS/AP. I kind of want to leave it there.". Two of Fattahs political consultants pleaded guilty in the case and testified against him. On June 21, 2016, a federal jury convicted Fattah, 59, of bribery, mail fraud, and 27 other charges including misappropriating campaign, charity, and taxpayer money. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2451. He can tout his role in passing the Affordable Care Act. Fattah, a Democrat formerly representing Pennsylvanias second congressional district, was found guilty in June 2016. The loan was paid back using federal grant money intended for nonprofit organizations affiliated with Fattah. We, journalists, typically know a little bit about alot of subjects. The tax credit assists any full-time college or university student or their families that claim the credit. Politician. Fattah has said he will appeal his conviction and sentence. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Fattah was once a shoo-in for his seat representing the second congressional district, one of the poorest in the nation and the only district in Pennsylvania with a majority black residency. Fattah was the recipient of numerous honors and awards including 10 honorary doctorates and the University of Pennsylvanias Fels Institute of Government Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. 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. The taskforce included both liberal and conservative Democrats, gun owners and Representatives from various cities. Wheres he been?, Love Philly? Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman, is married to longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. 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 says hes spent more than $300,000 paying for his legal defense. Some are fromhis own office. 1601, and again in 2007 with H.R. Im going to win this election. 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. Chaka Fattah was born Arthur Davenport on November 21, 1956 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Arthur Davenport and Frances Brown. Fattah also provided a copy of the title to the Porsche to the bank, the indictment says. Fattah says he can get by largely on the fact that his name has been on the ballot for two decades. Chaka Fattah 1956 . Fattahs position on the spending committee has allowed him to direct resources to programs hes prioritized over the years, whether its neuroscience and research involving brain function, youth mentoring expansion or education programs that have helped underprivileged families send their kids to college. In 1987, Fattah founded the Graduate Opportunity Initiative Conference, an annual three-day informational and scholarship conference which aims to significantly increase the enrollment of under-represented graduate students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM fields).