Corruption Trial: Rep. Chaka Fattah Found Guilty Of 22 Charges

On June 21, a federal jury found Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania guilty of racketeering. Fattah was convicted of 22 counts – including fraud and money laundering – in a case that centered around his attempts to repay an illegal million-dollar campaign loan.

“This trial is a referendum on Chaka Fattah, Sr.’s conduct,” Zane Memeger, the attorney prosecuting the case, said, according to WCAU. He added that he would be seeking jail time for the Pennsylvania representative.

“This charge cost him his reelection,” Howard Bruce Klein, a former federal prosecutor, said. “He’d been an 11-term Congressman and did a lot of things for his constituents when he was in office. So I would say it’s a sad ending for a public servant who made scholarships available for thousands of students over the years, but now has come to a very unhappy ending, being guilty of corruption. So it’s a day for the Congressman, it’s a sad day for his constituents and it’s a sad day for Philadelphia.”

Fattah lost a reelection bid in April, and his current term ends in January 2017.

Fattah’s case was decided in part by the testimonies of the congressman’s insiders, like Gregory Naylor, a former staffer, and Thomas Lindenfeld, a political consultant.

“They were able to give that inside view and the jury believed that inside view given by those individuals and that was key to our success in this case,” Memeger said.

“Today’s decision notwithstanding, it has been my privilege to serve the constituents of the Second Congressional District for over 20 years,” a statement by the congressman reads, reports The Hill.

“While today’s outcome isn’t what we had hoped for, I respect our nation’s judicial system,” Fattah added.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest declined to comment directly on the verdict but said the case was “good evidence” that the Justice Department “is faithful to their mandate to pursue justice irrespective of political affiliations.” The comment is likely an indirect reference to criticisms of the DOJ’s on-going investigation of Hillary Clinton.

Sources: WCAU, The Hill / Photo Credit: Chaka Fattah/Instagram