posted on February 14, 2007 01:29:55 PM new
Kerry, Casey Benefit From Indicted Philly Pol’s Favors
Lets see Waco Sheepa explain this away, Oh I forgot anything corrupt demos do is acceptable to him.
By: Kenneth P. Vogel
February 11, 2007 01:02 PM EST
A powerful Philadelphia politician charged with a litany of federal corruption offenses is accused of illegally using state government resources to help his political allies, including Democratic Sens. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and Robert P. Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania.
According to a 139-count federal indictment returned Tuesday, Vincent J. Fumo, an eight-term Democratic Pennsylvania senator, dispatched a state computer technician to help set up campaign operations for a 2004 presidential candidate, a 2002 Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate and a congressional candidate. And, the indictment charges, Fumo directed a state-paid investigator to dig up dirt on the gubernatorial candidate’s opponent for the Democratic nomination.
Fumo has pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Richard Sprague, told reporters at a news conference Thursday the indictment was the result of the “Bush Department of Justice” that “is out to get an effective Democratic senator.”
Richard Manieri, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor in Philadelphia, dismissed Sprague’s accusation as “inaccurate and regrettable.”
The indictment does not name the candidates. But it is clear from context of the indictment, interviews and media reports that the 2004 presidential candidate was Kerry and the 2002 gubernatorial candidate was Casey, who was the state auditor general. The congressional candidate could not be identified, and the aides for five Democrats representing the Philadelphia area denied it was any of those members of Congress.
Kerry’s campaign was unaware of any work done for it at Fumo’s behest, according to aides, while aides in Casey’s Senate office did not return several telephone and e-mail messages.
Campaigns are required to file reports detailing from whom they get their contributions, including donated services, and how they use them.
The indictment emphasized, however, that Fumo’s political allies may not have known they had received his illicit help.
According to the indictment, Fumo “systematically, routinely, and improperly used the funds and resources of the Senate for his personal and political benefit.”
The indictment also asserts Fumo’s misuse of state employees and resources cost taxpayers “substantially” more than $1 million and enabled him to build and maintain political clout by helping candidates for offices from Philadelphia City Council and mayor to the Pennsylvania State Legislature, the state Supreme Court and governor to Congress and president.
“He’s like a medieval baron who controlled a fiefdom,” said Terry Madonna, a professor and pollster at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. “And the fiefdom had its tentacles in so many different areas, from working with gubernatorial administrations over policy to making appointments to nominating candidates to fundraising.”
Fumo has stepped down as the ranking Democrat on the state Senate Appropriations Committee, but he hasn’t relinquished his Senate seat, and Madonna predicted he’ll remain a political force.
At Fumo’s urging, U.S. Rep. Robert A. Brady, chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic Party, is seeking the party’s nomination for mayor. And his chief of staff, Stan White, said the congressman won’t distance himself from Fumo.
“He doesn’t turn his back on his friends,” White said.
He asserted that Brady could not have been the congressional candidate mentioned in the indictment as having received state computer help at Fumo’s direction.
“Congressman Brady has not had a campaign office, staff or really an opponent since 1998,” White said. “So I wouldn’t know what computer they were talking about.”
The indictment alleges that Fumo, who at times had more than 90 Senate employees under his control, also assigned the computer technician to set up phone banks for an Election Day get-out-the-vote operation “on behalf of a presidential candidate Fumo supported in 2004.”
It was “a lengthy assignment” for the technician, according to the indictment, which identified the technician only as “Person No. 1.”
Marc Elias, general counsel for the Kerry campaign, said the technician likely set up the phone banks for a local or state party committee or other group working on behalf of Democrats, up and down the ticket.
“I can’t be 100 percent sure, but I doubt that he was doing work directly for the Kerry-Edwards campaign,” Elias said in an interview, adding he’d never heard of Fumo before The Politico brought the indictment to his attention. And it would be difficult to determine whether the technician’s work was reported on one of the campaign finance reports the campaign filed with the Federal Election Commission, he said.
In the Casey case, the technician at Fumo’s behest “set up computers and performed other tasks assisting Fumo’s favored gubernatorial candidate in 2002,” according to the indictment. And another aide in Fumo’s district office “spent a considerable amount of time, during regular working hours, assisting the 2002 gubernatorial campaign.”
Fumo was among the most influential supporters of Casey’s bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell won a come-from-behind 12-point victory over Casey and went on to victory in the 2002 general election.
More than a year before the primary, the indictment charges that Fumo tasked an investigator contracted by the state Senate to do an “extensive investigation” into Rendell’s construction of a beach house in Ocean City, N.J. When the investigator reported preliminary results, Fumo e-mailed back: “Please check out all of the contractors and subcontractors and see if they are union employers.”
Fumo also assigned the investigator to spend two days guarding a Casey campaign banner. The investigator, whom Fumo also directed to spy on his ex-wife and ex-girlfriends, was told the banner might be stolen “because it was posted across from the headquarters of a union that was supporting the opposing candidate,” according to the indictment.
Casey was elected state treasurer in 2004 and U.S. senator in 2006, defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Rick Santorum, who highlighted the federal scrutiny of Fumo and his ties to Casey.
"When I talk to liberals, I don't expect them to understand my positions on various issues. I spend most of my time trying to help them understand their own." —Mike Adams
posted on February 14, 2007 04:37:05 PM new
What news group does he report for?
Does it matter? He's reporting a item that YOUR letter networks are failing to report.
"When I talk to liberals, I don't expect them to understand my positions on various issues. I spend most of my time trying to help them understand their own." —Mike Adams
posted on February 14, 2007 05:15:13 PM new
Bear,
I asked bear about the author of the article he just posted, I asked, Tell me who Kenneth P. Vogel is? What news group does he report for?
Bear replies, "Does it matter?"
I found his 3 time "Does it matter" reply very funny.
Bear you just fell into your own BULL ROAR. My God man you guys are so transparent these days.
posted on February 15, 2007 09:52:43 AM new
"""But I seriously doubt the liberal MSM is going to give it as much attention as they have the Libby indictment."""
Where is the media giving this so much coverage...even Gibson said it was too complicated to explain.
This is a trial connected to a serious act of treason ....connected to the "reason" for the war in Iraq...it SHOULD be more widely covered and explained than it IS!
Look at the coverage the big "scandal" over Clinton's sex life got...and THAT didn't start a war. It had NO affct on anyone's life except the taxpayers paid 40 million for a total waste of time.
If the "liberal MSM" controls what we see how does bush get away with not allowing photos of the returning caskets from Iraq ??? Do you honestly think that's the ONLY thing he's hidden from the press?
AND we could talk about the huge contributions the exec from DIEBOLD gave the bush campaign...you know, the company who makes the voting machines ...the guy who told his close friend, bush, he could give him Ohio...and he did....no, it's not just Democrats who are messing with elections.
"""The indictment emphasized, however, that Fumo’s political allies may not have known they had received his illicit help.""""
Oh, and what ever happened to your screams of "Innocent until proven guilty "..????
posted on February 15, 2007 10:21:51 AM new
sybil.....IF YOU see anyone here that has posted that "they're guilty".....then you need to take another pill.
posted on February 15, 2007 10:33:03 AM new
linduh, I was referring to all the other times you and other neoconneds screamed, when yet ANOTHER repug was found being naughty, that they were innocent until proven guilty...sorry your memory is as bad as Libby's
But, as usual, I see your limited reply to my post was just that...limited....sad you can only address one issue at a time....
posted on February 15, 2007 11:01:20 AM new
My God man you guys are so transparent these days.
Yet not as transparent as you Waco.
"When I talk to liberals, I don't expect them to understand my positions on various issues. I spend most of my time trying to help them understand their own." —Mike Adams
posted on February 15, 2007 11:48:18 AM new
LOL another lie from sybil
I CHOOSE not to answer all your babbling questions....because your OBSESSION with me appears to bring about UNLIMITED questions....mostly ones that have already been addressed.
And NOW your focusing not only on asking about things I HAVE posted....but things I HAVEN'T posted.
seek your attention elsewhere...but work at stopping your HABITUAL LYING.
posted on February 15, 2007 12:36:39 PM newThe indictment emphasized, however, that Fumo’s political allies may not have known they had received his illicit help.
yawn....big deal. Just another example of the kind of sleazy money manipulation that goes on in both parties.
