Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman, is married to longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. Evans is the challenger who could do the most damage to Fattahs campaign for re-election. Its alleged that he misappropriated more funds from his mayoral and congressional campaigns in order to pay off his sonsstudent loan debt by dispensing checks to a political consulting firm which then lessened his sons college debt burden. 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. Fattah is only 64 years old, so his estimated lifetime pension is $1 million. Some are fromhis own office. (Instead of a paywall). Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. If you know Chaka, he is the eternal optimist. 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. The Congressman has an older son, Chaka Fattah, Jr., also a politician, who was convicted of felony bank and tax fraud in February 2016. But this is only part of the story. "After this, I would like to do something around cancer in our community," she said. 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. When I reached out to her on Tuesday, she was about to take part in a round-table discussion organized by Us Against Alzheimer's. It's the former home of Congressman Chaka Fattah and his wife Renee Chenault-Fattah, a. 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. 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]. Once he lost that race and faced a large debt, Fattah and his inner circle illegally used federal and charitable funds to help repay the loan. 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, 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. 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 jury in his case found the congressman took an illegal $1 million loan to prop up a failed 2007 run for Philadelphia mayor. The program offers Philadelphians the chance to exchange firearms for vouchers for groceries or other goods. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman,. A handful of names circulated, from District Attorney Seth Williams to now former Mayor Michael Nutter. How are they doing? Though the house dates only to 1930, theres some history behind this plot: the estate was once part of a much larger 10-acre one dating to the 1700s that stretched from School House Lane all the way to Coulter Street. 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. All the while he did it with his own little West Philadelphia political machine, with the support ofpeople like Hughes and Councilwoman Cindy Bass. The tax credit assists any full-time college or university student or their families that claim the credit. Fattah compared himself to Rep. Joseph McDade, D-Pa., and Rep. Floyd Flake, D-N.Y., two former congressman charged in the 90s with corruption who were both later acquitted. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Born in Philadelphia on November 21, 1956, Chaka Fattah grew up with political ideas and even developed his own political propaganda for other candidates at the age of 14. On December 12, 2016, Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison as a result of the conviction. "Asking for $18,000 which is a steal.". But the icing on this crooked cake is that Fattah is collecting a taxpayer-funded pension. He even brought up that, earlier this month, charges were dropped against five Brooklyn teenagers accused of gang-raping a woman at a playground. 1579. Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., walks after leaving the federal courthouse in Philadelphia, Tuesday, June 21. But the icing on this crooked cake is that Fattah is collecting a taxpayer-funded pension. Fattah's wife, longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah and their two daughters were not charged. ( Photo via Facebook ), California residents do not sell my data request. Fattah served on the Appropriations Committee and on several subcommittees. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today! She's done with that. Former state Rep. Dwight Evans, a fellow Democrat, now holds his seat. Committed to funding neuroscience research. 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. 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. (That) has nothing to do with the fact that Ive been found on the wrong side of these questions by a jury.. Fattah and several of his co-defendants, who include former campaign and congressional aides, obtained an illegal $1 million loan for him during the 2007 mayors race. The taskforce included both liberal and conservative Democrats, gun owners and Representatives from various cities. Committed to one day maybe six days after the primary, the scheduled start date of his trial fighting those criminal charges. 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. 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. 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. Chaka Fattah of racketeering, bribery, money laundering, and fraud. Thats an area where Evans whos successfully stumped for other candidates across the state has him beat. 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. Congressman Chaka Fattah Sr., 58, of Philadelphia; lobbyist Herbert Vederman, 69, of Palm Beach, Florida; Fattah's Congressional District Director Bonnie Bowser, 59, of Philadelphia; and Robert Brand, 69, of Philadelphia; and Karen Nicholas, 57, of Williamstown, New Jersey, were charged today in a 29-count indictment with participating in a 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. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. His parents divorced, and his mother married David Fattah, changed her name to Falaka Fattah, and changed her sons name as well. 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. 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 government thereafter announced its intention not to retry those counts.) 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. In 1984, Fattah completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. She was never charged and has denied wrongdoing. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman, is married to longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. 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. 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. Fattah resigned from office on June 23, 2016, following a racketeering conviction. While you have done much good, you also engaged in grave and widespread criminal activity, Bartle said. Congressman Chaka Fattah's wife, NBC10 News Anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah responds to allegations detailed in a Federal Indictment against her husband. He brings up that former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush spent $136 million compared to Donald Trumps $11 million. And I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that," she told me. On July 12, 2019, a Philadelphia judge sentenced Fattah to 10 years in federal prison for public corruption. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 21 November. Congressional pensions are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). They told authorities the money covered the friends purchase of a Porsche owned by Fattahs wife, but the Porsche never left their garage. Their older daughter, Cameron, is a freshman at Johns Hopkins University. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Theyre from the White House. All the while he did it with his own little West Philadelphia political machine, with the support ofpeople like Hughes and Councilwoman Cindy Bass. Co-ops have a broad base and connection to community in the Philadelphia area. He brings up that former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush spent $136 million compared to Donald Trumps $11 million. On the basis of this ruling, Fattah appealed his conviction in October 2016, placing his sentencing on hold. Following this conference, his mother decided to change his name to Chaka Fattah, to acknowledge their African ethnicity. But Fattah says hes also more committed now than he ever has been. So, how much is Chaka Fattah worth at the age of 66 years old? "If you're black or Hispanic, you're twice as likely to be impacted by this disease," Chenault-Fattah told me. Renee Chenault-Fattah. His father said hes spoken to his son, who is looking forward to appealing his own federal case. Fattah also hired Vederman's girlfriend to his staff as the transactions were taking place, according to the indictment. He defeated the incumbent 58%-42%. 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. 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. 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. has allowed him to spend little on campaigning. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. 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. Labeled as "Person E" throughout the 85-page indictment, Chenault-Fattah, one of the station's most visible personalities and anchor of the 4 and 6 p.m. broadcasts, is portrayed as a participant in a scheme to falsely report the sale of her 1989 Porsche Carrera convertible to a lobbyist for $18,000. 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. 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. "[That] has nothing to do with the fact that Ive been found on the wrong side of these questions by a jury.. He can tout his role in passing the Affordable Care Act. Chenault-Fattah did let me know, though, that her marriage remains intact. 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. Chaka Chip Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. 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. Fattah and his wife used the $18,000 for a down payment on a Poconos vacation home. Theyre both expected to start spending soon on television ads to increase name recognition in the district. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. On July 29, 2015, Fattah and four of his associates, Bonnie Bowser, Karen Nicholas, Herbert Verderman and Robert Brand were indicted for their alleged roles in a racketeering conspiracy involving several schemes that were intended to further the political and financial interests of the defendants and others by, among other tactics, misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars of federal, charitable and campaign funds. Fattah supporters have raised questions about whether he received a fair trial, noting that one of the jurors was dismissed from the case. He is from . The Congressman has an older son, Chaka Fattah, Jr., also a politician, who was convicted of felony bank and tax fraud in February 2016. Wisely, Chenault-Fattah, now 60, decided to stick to what she's known for, which is telling stories. But Fattah says hes also more committed now than he ever has been. Fattah was challenged by Republican nominee Robert Allen Mansfield, Jr. and Independent candidate and publisher of the Germantown Newspapers, Jim Foster. Evans has already been endorsed by both Gov. He reported for prison at Federal Correctional Institution, McKean near Lewis Run, Pennsylvania on January 25, 2017. 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. 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. Anchor Jim Rosenfield, speaking during Wednesday's 4 p.m. newscast, said Chenault-Fattah "is now on leave.". Fattah, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, began his political career working as the Special Assistant to the Director of Housing and Community Development in Philadelphia from 1980 to 1981. 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 Republican party may have won a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, but a seat was still found for a liberal named Chaka Fattah.The freshman Democratic congressman from Philadelphia is a lawmaker who has . Fattah endorsed Barack Obama for President in 2008. 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. He's doing well. With that said, endorsements can sometimes help win elections. And Fattahs Twitter account shows that he launched a business while still serving his sentence, with his bio saying hes President/CEO of Fattah Neuroscience Global Advisors - Catalysts in Uplifting Brain Research. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Committed to funding neuroscience research. The latest property being unloaded in the Disgraced Pol Hit Parade went on the market last Tuesday. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Ambition Is an Asset. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. From the outside, things seem painfulfor Fattahs family. He says at least 25 million people have been impacted by his programs (there are 715,000 people in hisdistrict, 1.5 million in Philadelphiaand 12.8 million in the state), and that there isnt a single person in the citywho has not been touched in some significant, positive way by something he put in place. Twenty-twoarticles and press releases are strewn across a dark wood table in the board room of Congressman Chaka Fattahs West Philly office. Who Is Chaka Fattah's Wife? All rights reserved. In addition, Fattah received bribes from Herbert Vederman, a former deputy mayor of Philadelphia who served as an aide to his mayoral campaign. But their real-life fairy tale turned into a nightmare in 2015 after the feds indicted and later convicted Chaka Fattah of racketeering, bribery, money laundering, and fraud. Twenty-twoarticles and press releases are strewn across a dark wood table in the board room of Congressman Chaka Fattahs West Philly office. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. 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. 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. He's currently serving a 10-year prison sentence. Voters in Chinatown weigh in. I got to ask former WCAU-TV anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah anything I wanted about Alzheimer's disease. 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. I kind of want to leave it there.". But this time around, she intends to be an advocate forcauses about which she's passionate. NBC10's Deanna Durante explains how. He received an MA from The John Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in 1984 and a Master of Governmental Administration (MGA) at the University of Pennsylvanias Fels Institute of State and Local Government in 1986. A jury this year found that Fattah took an illegal $1 million loan from a wealthy friend to prop up his failed 2007 campaign for Philadelphia mayor. Tom Wolf and Mayor Jim Kenney, the latter ofwhom praised Evans for being someone who has built relationships and is not a divisive figure.. 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). 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. Market data provided by Factset. Congressman Chaka Fattah, a Philadelphia Democrat, speaks to the center for American Progress in 2010. Wheres he been?, Love Philly? On August 9, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia overturned Fattah's bribery convictions. See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2010#District 2. Sure, Fattahis still a member of several subcommittees that handle appropriations. Chaka Fattah Jr., Frances Fattah, Chandler Faith Fattah, Cameron Chenault. ", When I asked how he's faring in federal prison, she said, "Chaka's doing great. His wife, Philadelphia TV news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, took a leave after her husband's indictment and then quit in February. Convicted Former Congressman Still Draws Estimated $1 Million Federal Lifetime Pension. In 2005, Fattah opposed the War in Iraq and supported Congressman John Murtha's call for troop withdrawal. 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.. The couple, married in 2001, have one daughter, Chandler Fattah. A jury has decided that based on the evidence presented to them that I am guilty of charges presented by the government. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. 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. HEMAP is a loan program designed to protect Pennsylvanians who, through no fault of their own, are financially unable to make their mortgage payments and are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. She is on leave from her anchor job. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman,. The couple, married in 2001, have one daughter, Chandler Fattah. For 16 minutes, the 59-year-old describes each one in varying detail. Chaka Fattah with Obama aide Valerie Jarrett on Air Force One. Chaka Fattah 1956 . / CBS/AP. Meanwhile, Evans had $303,000 on hand and Muroff had $208,000. After Congress tightened ethics laws, convicted members of Congress were supposed to lose federal pensions. 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 Philadelphia, the U.S. Bureau of Prisonshas confirmed. Fattahs wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, was implicated in the indictment against the congressman and nolonger sits at the anchor deskat NBC 10 where she worked for nearly 25years. And his family has fallen with him. Fattah has said he will appeal his conviction and sentence. Fattah introduced "Communities Committed to College", H.R. Fattah used the money to pay personal expenses, including his taxes. At 66 years old, Chaka Fattah height not available right now. ET. Fattahs third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, is a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster. 20072023 Blackpast.org. 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. People got to be real careful about taking out a guy like that, State Sen. Vincent Hughes, a longtime Fattah supporter, said last June. 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. Fattah insists the Justice Department, though led by fellow Democrats, has been out to get him and his family for years. or redistributed. 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 May 1986, he received his master's degree in Governmental Administration from the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government. He is from . The kitchen is totally up-to-date with the requisite granite countertops, stainless steel high-end appliances, and island workspace. With regard to the governments cross-appeal, the Court of Appeals reinstated certain counts that had been dismissed by the District Court post-trial. He says hes just fine garnering the support. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Vederman wrote back to Fattah, "love to purchase" the car, according to the indictment, and later wired $18,000 to Fattah.