Fattah was a former state lawmaker and Philadelphia official who was elected to Congress in 1994. Sure, Fattahis still a member of several subcommittees that handle appropriations. 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. Fattahwasnt known as the type of person who would frequentlyhelp other politicos around town raise money. 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. State Rep. Brian Sims declared himself a challenger, then dropped out before filing day. The latest bill places more focus on eliminating the federal debt. He added: I dont think that not having somebody on the appropriations committee disenfranchises the city.. In 2004, Fattah introduced a bill titled the "Transform America Transaction Fee," (H.R. So the feds say hesecured a $1 million loan from then-Sallie Mae CEO Al Lord a big no-no in campaign finance and then paid back $600,000 of itusing charitable and federal funds through his nonprofit the Educational Advancement Alliance. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. First published on December 12, 2016 / 12:36 PM. Thats an area where Evans whos successfully stumped for other candidates across the state has him beat. On December 12, 2016, Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison and began serving his term at the Federal Correctional Institution, McKean, Pennsylvania on January 25, 2017. It's the former home of Congressman Chaka Fattah and his wife Renee Chenault-Fattah, a. "I love my husband. AOTC provides up to $2500 tax credit for families to assist them with the cost of college. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. And for a while, it looked as if it was just that. 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. If youve ever dreamed of living like a baron for less than a million bucks, nows your chance: the Fattahs loss is your gain. While you have done much good, you also engaged in grave and widespread criminal activity, Bartle said. Theyre kind of dealing with the position, Fattah said. Thats an area where Evans whos successfully stumped for other candidates across the state has him beat. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. But she was less open to talking about her incarcerated husband, former U.S. (Instead of a paywall). Now I know its actually people in the barbershops and the beauty salons. 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. 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. 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. Vederman wrote back to Fattah, "love to purchase" the car, according to the indictment, and later wired $18,000 to Fattah. But he was charged in 2015, and then convicted on all counts the following year. Just days later, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in McDonnell v. United States which altered the legal definition of bribery to exclude "pay for access." 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. The Congressman has an older son, Chaka Fattah, Jr., also a politician, who was convicted of felony bank and tax fraud in February 2016. The indictment says Chenault-Fattah e-mailed Vederman in January 2012 about purchasing her car. Still, as. Their older daughter, Cameron, is a freshman at Johns Hopkins University. 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. first as a Wall Street lawyer and later a TV broadcaster, Indiegogo crowd-funding website for a new documentary, California residents do not sell my data request. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman, is married to longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. Fattahs third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, is a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster. As of September 5, 2010, none of the House committees have scheduled any action on the latest bill. The taskforce included both liberal and conservative Democrats, gun owners and Representatives from various cities. Fattah served on the Appropriations Committee and on several subcommittees. 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. But a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in McDonnell v. United States a few days later changed the legal definition of bribery to exclude "pay for access and Fattah appealed his conviction, placing his sentencing on hold. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "Almost every chronic illness hits us harder," she said, referring to African Americans. By Fattahs own assessment, he could soonhold the purse strings of a nation in his hands. Fattahs criminal acts were part of a years-long scheme related to his unsuccessful bid to become mayor of Philadelphia. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. 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. In 2013, Fattah served as a vice chair on the House Gun and Violence Taskforce, a taskforce created under the direction of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. 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. He brings up that former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush spent $136 million compared to Donald Trumps $11 million. Following this conference, his mother decided to change his name to Chaka Fattah, to acknowledge their African ethnicity. On July 29, 2015, Fattah and a group of associates were indicted on federal charges related to their alleged roles in a racketeering and influence peddling conspiracy. While a court of appeals in 2018 threw out some of the bribery from Fattahs conviction, a judge last year kept his 10-year sentence intact. . The Philadelphia Democrat, who was first elected to . 4646) which proposed to repeal the federal income tax and replace it with a 1 percent "transaction tax" on every financial transaction whether paid by cash, credit card or any form of financial transfer, the only exception being transactions involving the purchase or sale of stock. On August 9, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia overturned Fattah's bribery convictions. He also mentioned Rep. Curt Weldon, a Republican congressman from the Philly burbs and a veritable 9/11 trutherwho served in Congress until 2007 when he lost to Joe Sestak, now a senate candidate. The estimated pension is at least $55,000 per year. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Fattah has 22 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, and another 12 in public service to rattle off when anyone asks why hes running for re-election to represent the second congressional district for a 12th term. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. Muroff, the past president of CeaseFire PAwhos taken up gun violence prevention as one of his primary causes, said he wouldnt diminish the importance of a district being represented ona powerful committee with control over spending, but noted that hes the only challenger with experience as a senior level legislative staff member in the federal government. 1601, and again in 2007 with H.R. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Phillys mayoral candidates are tiptoeing onto TikTok. After charges were filed against Fattah last summer, not everyone in West Philadelphia, an area that was once on lock for the former congressmans voters base, was on Fattahs side and praying for his re-election. The bill has national support from co-op and EOB advocates and members. Fattah supporters have raised questions about whether he received a fair trial, noting that one of the jurors was dismissed from the case. President Obama has called for making the tax credit permanent. While you have done much good, you also engaged in grave and widespread criminal activity, Bartle added. Two days later, according to the indictment, the Fattahs had their mortgage for the Poconos property approved. ( Photo via Facebook ), California residents do not sell my data request. And his family has fallen with him. His wife is Renee Chenault-Fattah (m. 2001) Chaka Fattah Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. On February 23, 2010, Fattah reintroduced the bill as the "Debt Free America Act," (H.R. He is stepfather to her daughter Cameron Chenault. 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. While in the U.S. House of Representatives. Prosecutors say Fattah tried to conceal an $18,000 bribe from Vederman by pretending he sold a Porsche to the man. Fattah also hired Vedermans girlfriend in his Capitol Hill office. Fattah says he can get by largely on the fact that his name has been on the ballot for two decades. You abused your trust, time and time again.. Who Is Chaka Fattah's Wife? Fattah has said he will appeal his conviction and sentence. Innocent until proven guilty has, predictably, become the congressmans mantra. He even brought up that, earlier this month, charges were dropped against five Brooklyn teenagers accused of gang-raping a woman at a playground. The long-running criminal scheme was related to paying back a loan from Fattahs unsuccessful run for Philadelphia mayor in 2007. All Rights Reserved. He says hes spent more than $300,000 paying for his legal defense. He is from . Former Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah (Pa.) was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday by a federal judge in Philadelphia. 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. Ive helped tens of millions of people, Fattah said. 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. Matt Rourke/AP A federal jury has sentenced former Rep. Chaka. He says the work he wants to complete will take him another decade. The latest property being unloaded in the Disgraced Pol Hit Parade went on the market last Tuesday. Or rather, Chaka and Renee. Fattah was the lead Democrat responsible for the funding of the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney General. The feds also claim that in 2008, Fattah triedto secure an ambassadorship forlobbyist Herbert Vederman, one of the co-defendants. The FBI spent years investigating Fattah, and it long looked as if he would escape federal indictment. A subsequent Philadelphia Daily News investigation revealed that nonprofits receiving federal funding and connected to Fattah paid out over $5.8 million to Fattah allies and alleged that many of these payments were ethically dubious. They told authorities the money covered the friends purchase of a Porsche owned by Fattahs wife, but the Porsche never left their garage. So, how much is Chaka Fattah worth at the age of 66 years old? 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. She was cited in the case over the sham sale of her Porsche,. 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. 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 . 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. For 16 minutes, the 59-year-old describes each one in varying detail. He was convicted on 23 counts of racketeering, fraud, and other corruption charges on June 21, 2016, and resigned two days later. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Meanwhile, Evans had $303,000 on hand and Muroff had $208,000. Chaka Fattah Jr., Frances Fattah, Chandler Faith Fattah, Cameron Chenault. Voters in Chinatown weigh in. 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.