Daylife/AP Photo by Matt Rourke
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A 30-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Senate has been convicted of committing $3.5 million in fraud, taking money from two nonprofits and using state employees to do political and personal tasks.
After more than four days of deliberation, a federal jury of 10 women and two men unanimously found the former senator, Vincent J. Fumo, guilty on all 137 counts of conspiracy, fraud, obstruction of justice and tax violations for using state employees and consultants to do political work and run personal errands.
Mr. Fumo, a Democrat who represented South Philadelphia, sat stony faced as the jury foreman repeatedly said “guilty” on all counts in a verdict that took 13 minutes to read.
Taking the stand in his own defense, Mr. Fumo admitted that his political work overlapped with his work as a state lawmaker, but he argued that it was acceptable for his employees to do personal chores for him because Pennsylvania has no written laws on the amount of assistance that they can give a lawmaker.
Smells like a lot of state legislators..
South Philly? Har.
Why do the Democrats seem so corrupt lately. Most of them are for higher taxes but at the same time most of them don’t pay them. Now they are stealing from nonprofits. What’s next?
Red Fox said “Why do the Democrats seem so corrupt lately.”
Because for 8 years we’ve allowed ourselves to be distracted by the media and the Democrats on only focusing on the Republicans. Now it’s their turn in the hot seat.
In someone robs a bank, no one asks if he was a dem or repug. What difference does it make in Congress?
They are ALL crooks. VOTE ALL INCUMBENTS OUT OF OFFICE. – – or remain a tool.
But when it`s a Republican, the headline usually reads: “Republican Legislator Convicted”….I guess I should be grateful they even put his party affiliation in the story; they often don`t when it`s a Dem.
Now if we can get DeWeese booted out, we might move out of the top ten of corrupt states.
Now if we can get DeWeese booted out, we might move out of the top ten of corrupt state governments.
# 4 bobbo – couldn’t say it better myself
Sickening to see this.
First, if he is corrupt then haul his sorry ass to jail.
Second, there have been more Democrats charged simply because Bush politicized the whole Justice Department and they didn’t go after Republicans.
I’m surprised the main stream media even reported that he is a Democrat. What’s up with that….