Updated at 3:25 p.m. Fattah spent two decades in Congress before losing the primary this year. On August 9, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia overturned Fattah's bribery convictions. I'm a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News covering mostly local topics but sometimes weighing in on national news as well. The Congressman has an older son, Chaka Fattah, Jr., also a politician, who was convicted of felony bank and tax fraud in February 2016. And for a while, it looked as if it was just that. Credit NBC10. makes sure to note, too, that Sims raised $230,000 to challenge him for Congressthis year and didnt make it to filing day. For these additional counts, Fattah was again sentenced to 10 years of incarceration on July 12, 2019. 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. Fattah was the lead Democrat responsible for the funding of the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney General. Thats an area where Evans whos successfully stumped for other candidates across the state has him beat. Fattah ran for re-election to his seat in 2016, but he was defeated by Dwight Evans in the Democratic primary. Twenty-twoarticles and press releases are strewn across a dark wood table in the board room of Congressman Chaka Fattahs West Philly office. 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 . He previously served in the Pennsylvania Senate and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Fattah introduced "Communities Committed to College", H.R. Bartle ordered Fattah to pay . 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. Legal Statement. The couple, married in 2001, have one daughter, Chandler Fattah. She was cited in the case over the sham sale of her Porsche,. (That) has nothing to do with the fact that Ive been found on the wrong side of these questions by a jury.. The long-running criminal scheme was related to paying back a loan from Fattahs unsuccessful run for Philadelphia mayor in 2007. Fattah is only 64 years old, so his estimated lifetime pension is $1 million. Chaka Chip Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. His son, Chaka Fattah Jr. is serving a five-year prison term in an overlapping fraud case that went to trial last year. 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? BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. 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. U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III told Fattah in January:You need to take this matter seriously and think long and hard about your priorities., The charges Fattah denies are what hesomehow calls a clarifying moment., Sometimes when youre flying on Air Force One and some corporate CEO is waiting to greet you and introduce you and this and that, but theyre really not talking to you. Following this conference, his mother decided to change his name to Chaka Fattah, to acknowledge their African ethnicity. We will update Chaka Fattah's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. 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. Theyre both expected to start spending soon on television ads to increase name recognition in the district. 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. 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. So, how much is Chaka Fattah worth at the age of 66 years old? 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. African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Chaka-Fattah-Jr-Fraud-Sentencing-Federal-Court-367332741.html, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chaka-fattah-former-pennsylvania-congressman-10-years-prison-corruption/, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. "Our family misses and loves him. Im as innocent as you are under our system, Fattah said. Get your daily rundown of Philly happenings in less than 10 minutes, Philadelphia local news: Neighborhoods, politics, food, and fun, Get Philly smart with BPs free daily newsletter. 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. He was ordered to report to prison by Jan. 25, 2017. Fattah's wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, was implicated in the indictment against the congressman and no longer sits at the anchor desk at NBC 10 where she worked for nearly 25 years. He announced his immediate resignation from Congress two days later, on June 23. The indictment says Chenault-Fattah e-mailed Vederman in January 2012 about purchasing her car. With that said, endorsements can sometimes help win elections. 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. Ive helped tens of millions of people, Fattah said. Committed to fair housing. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The public expects their elected officials to act with honesty and integrity, U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia Zane Memeger said when charges were filed. Fattah, who has so far largely escaped being attacked by challengers with regard to the litany of criminal charges and accusations against him, is harnessing the one thing that he has that Evans doesnt: 22 years in congress and a seat on the House Committee on Appropriations. 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. Fattah, a Democrat formerly representing Pennsylvanias second congressional district, was found guilty in June 2016. He talks about how former Mayor Michael Nutter. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. State Rep. Brian Sims declared himself a challenger, then dropped out before filing day. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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. 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. He's currently serving a 10-year prison sentence. This is my effort to get rid of public housing high rises in Philadelphia. 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. The prize? So, how much is Chaka Fattah worth at the age of 66 years old? Outside of legislative work Fattah has created a few local education initiatives for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania families as a state legislator and in cooperation with state and municipal governments, including the CORE scholars program and the annual Grad Conference. Chenault-Fattah, 57, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Committed to funding neuroscience research. Committed to youth mentorship. He brings up that former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush spent $136 million compared to Donald Trumps $11 million. 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. The bill has national support from co-op and EOB advocates and members. And his family has fallen with him. Both the main home and the carriage house have central air, and there are two garages on the property as well. 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, 60, served 22 years in Congress . By Fattahs own assessment, he could soonhold the purse strings of a nation in his hands. Market data provided by Factset. Evans has already been endorsed by both Gov. ", When I asked how he's faring in federal prison, she said, "Chaka's doing great. 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, has built relationships and is not a divisive figure., Fattah, frankly, doesnt care about the politicians who have backed his most well-knownopponent. NEW JERSEY FEDERAL JUDGES SON KILLED, HUSBAND SHOT AT HOME. 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. Fattah is married to his third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster on WCAU-TV (NBC 10). 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. He says hes just fine garnering the support. Chaka Fattahs income source is mostly from being a successful . Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman, is married to longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. It is unclear but the Federal Bureau of Prisons database shows he is in a residential reentry center in Philadelphia. We, journalists, typically know a little bit about alot of subjects. In 2009, Fattah introduced a fourth bill to require having a study conducted, H.R. She's done with that. Congressman Chaka Fattah, a Philadelphia Democrat, speaks to the center for American Progress in 2010. Meanwhile, Evans had $303,000 on hand and Muroff had $208,000. Chaka Fattah with Obama aide Valerie Jarrett on Air Force One. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Fattah's third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, is a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster. Fattah and his wife used the $18,000 for a down payment on a Poconos vacation home. I wouldnt trade for a day some very well-meaning, well-intentioned person who might be at the pillar of the citys civic leadership for having working families stay with me.. As a member of Pennsylvanias state House Fattah wrote and passed into law Pennsylvanias Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP). In this May 7, 2015 photo, Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., speaks during a My Brother's Keeper town hall at the School of the Future in Philadelphia. His father said hes spoken to his son, who is looking forward to appealing his own federal case. When charges came down last summer, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Fattah had rightly given up his ranking position. 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. But Fattah says hes also more committed now than he ever has been. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Phillys hot podcast studio: How two longtime producers are growing the citys audio scene, Meet the 10 entrepreneurs vying set up shop inside Philly rec centers, Tax cuts, a new forensic lab, library service, hotspot help: Takeaways from Mayor Kenneys final city budget proposal, A real art project at Quinta Brunsons former school in West Philly mirrors the Abbott Elementary Mural Arts episode, Former Councilmember Bobby Henon sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for taking bribes, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. And I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that," she told me. He is from . Fattah says he can get by largely on the fact that his name has been on the ballot for two decades. 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. While you have done much good, you also engaged in grave and widespread criminal activity, Bartle added. The Associated Press contributed to this report. ", NBC 10 News Anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. 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. He won landslide after landslide every two years since 1994 without facing a formidable opponent once in the Democratic primary, and certainly not in the general election. He doesnt have any relationships, she told The Inquirer at the time. Philadelphia news outlets have filed a motion to unseal court documents related to that dismissal. He's currently serving a 10-year prison sentence. In May 1986, he received his master's degree in Governmental Administration from the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government. 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. Neither Fattahs attorney,Sam Silver, northe prison bureau would comment to local media on why Fattah was released early from lockup, but his release appears to have been the call of the Bureau of Prisons. Prosecutors say Fattah tried to conceal an $18,000 bribe from Vederman by pretending he sold a Porsche to the man. These are the people that have been voting for me and praying for me for all these years.. On July 12, 2019, a Philadelphia judge sentenced Fattah to 10 years in federal prison for public corruption. 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. The Justice Department wanted Fattah incarcerated for 17 to 21 years. This is a story about my funding of the bridge over the Schuylkill, but its really symbolic of a host of efforts across the district. 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. And Im going to leave it to others to figure out everybodys motives.. 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. In 1984, Fattah completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Those in high places will certainly know what happens in this courtroom today, said U.S. District Judge Harvery Bartle, III, as he sentenced Fattah, according to WPVI, a Philadelphia TV station. 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. But he was charged in 2015, and then convicted on all counts the following year. The reason we must take an educated guess? First published on December 12, 2016 / 12:36 PM. 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. Sure, Fattahis still a member of several subcommittees that handle appropriations. He represented the 2nd Congressional District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1994 to 2016. But the icing on this crooked cake is that Fattah is collecting a taxpayer-funded pension. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Ive helped tens of millions of people, Fattah said. Still, as he faces years behind bars, Fattahsfighting to keep his seat inthe Democratic primary on April 26. 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 also hired Vedermans girlfriend in his Capitol Hill office. Please enter valid email address to continue. Since 2006, Fattah has pioneered gun-buyback programs in Philadelphia with the Philadelphia Police. On Monday, U.S. District Judge sentenced Fattah to 10 years in prison. 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. What hewilladmit: Raising cash for re-election while under the cloud of federal indictmenthas been a struggle. Renee Chenault-Fattah. 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). Earlier this year, Fattah, 60, was convicted of misspending government grants and charity money to fund his campaign and personal expenses, even as he and his TV anchor wife earned more than $500,000 a year. A jury has decided that based on the evidence presented to them that I am guilty of charges presented by the government. See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2010#District 2. NBC10's Deanna Durante explains how. From the outside, things seem painfulfor Fattahs family. At 66 years old, Chaka Fattah height not available right now. They told authorities the money covered the friends purchase of a Porsche owned by Fattahs wife, but the Porsche never left their garage. 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. "My dad died from pancreatic cancer. His bill calls for $25 million federal investment and technical assistance to cooperatives through a new National Cooperative Development Center. The latest property being unloaded in the Disgraced Pol Hit Parade went on the market last Tuesday. Each touts something Fattah did while in the United States Congress representing Philadelphia. After 30 years of working first as a Wall Street lawyer and later a TV broadcaster, she had to figure out what her third act would be. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. DeSantis family unwinds on horseback at Houston Rodeo ahead of governor's speech, Marianne Williamson launches campaign against Biden, vows to fight 'forces of hatred, injustice and fear', Haley blasts both Democrats and fellow Republicans, including Trump, over exploding national debt, Sen. Cornyn challenges Biden to enforce existing asylum law as Dems' 'open borders base' rails against admin. 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.. The FBI further alleged that Fattah accepted an $18,000 bribe from a man seeking an ambassadorship. The FBI spent years investigating Fattah, and it long looked as if he would escape federal indictment. Former Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., walks from the federal courthouse on Monday after his sentencing hearing in 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. Market data provided by Factset. Fattah says he can get by largely on the fact that his name has been on the ballot for two decades. Committed to youth mentorship. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. On August 9, 2018, however, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit overturned Fattahs bribery convictions. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "I love my husband. I don't want to say anything about the case because it's being appealed. 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. He is stepfather to her daughter Cameron Chenault. has allowed him to spend little on campaigning. Fattah served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 192nd district from 1983 to 1988, and as a State Senator for the 7th district from 1988 to 1994. The jury in his case found the congressman took an illegal $1 million loan to prop up a failed 2007 run for Philadelphia mayor. How are they doing? 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. 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. Now I know its actually people in the barbershops and the beauty salons. Fattah and the other co-conspirators submitted false billing statements to his mayoral campaign in order to keep the loan secret. Vederman wrote back to Fattah, "love to purchase" the car, according to the indictment, and later wired $18,000 to Fattah. The feds also claim that in 2008, Fattah triedto secure an ambassadorship forlobbyist Herbert Vederman, one of the co-defendants. He is from . All the while he did it with his own little West Philadelphia political machine, with the support ofpeople like Hughes and Councilwoman Cindy Bass. This dominance. But this is only part of the story. 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.. Ive won dozens and dozens of elections. Democrat Rep. Dwight Evans now holds Fattah's seat in Congress. The younger Fattah is serving a five-year sentence. 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 tax credit assists any full-time college or university student or their families that claim the credit. 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. U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah Sr., the Democrat who represents a district that includes parts of Philadelphia, was indicted on Wednesday over allegations of political corruption. 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. Now I know its actually people in the barbershops and the beauty salons. 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. Chaka Fattah's income source is mostly from being a successful . Fattahmakes sure to note, too, that Sims raised $230,000 to challenge him for Congressthis year and didnt make it to filing day. PHILADELPHIA A federal judge has sentenced Former Pennsylvania Congressman Chaka Fattah to 10 years behind bars on charges of racketeering, fraud and money laundering. Social Activism Brings a Name Change. "If you're black or Hispanic, you're twice as likely to be impacted by this disease," Chenault-Fattah told me. On the basis of this ruling, Fattah appealed his conviction in October 2016, placing his sentencing on hold. Chaka Fattah was born Arthur Davenport on November 21, 1956 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Arthur Davenport and Frances Brown. On August 9, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia overturned Fattah's bribery convictions. Fattah was a former state lawmaker and Philadelphia official who was elected to Congress in 1994. Fattah represented the 2nd district in Pennsylvania, an overwhelmingly Democratic district, in the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2016. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. His wife, Philadelphia TV news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, took a leave after her husband's indictment and then quit in February. Yet despite his safe congressional seat, Fattah always wanted to be a power player back home in Philadelphia, where he was born, and it was this desire that ultimately led to his downfall and federal conviction. ET. 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. 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 .