Once-powerful Pa. senator faces long fraud trial ( Democrat )

Associated Press ^ | September 7, 2008 | MARYCLAIRE DALE,

[george76]

prosecutors say freewheeling Philadelphia Democrat Vincent Fumo used little of his own money as he took yachting vacations with friends, spent lavishly on a 33-room city brownstone and hired operatives to spy on ex-wives and political foes.

Fumo faces trial Monday in federal court on charges alleging he used $3.5 million in what he called "OPM" — other people's money — to keep his political machine well oiled and fund a lifestyle that included three vacation homes and heated sidewalks outside his mansion. The trial is expected to last a full three months, after a week of jury selection.

[george76]

Culture of Corruption.

.

[library user]

This is what your typical Democrat does. Very sad.

[impeachedrapist]

One more Dem problem in PA. Good!

[george76]

139 counts of fraud and obstruction

http://www.wfmj.com/Global/story.asp?S=8965787

[BOBTHENAILER]

For the Rat membership into the “Culture of Corruption”, one must first earn the felony “Badge of Honor”.

[Tribune7]

ping

[dighton]

... 33-room city brownstone ... three vacation homes ... heated sidewalks ...

Party of the little guy.

[george76]

Competition for Charlie Rangel ?

three vacation homes and heated sidewalks outside his mansion

[AGreatPer]

So, what’s the big deal here? Everything is normal.

[river rat]

The crooked bastard was working EVERY avenue to cheat the public and fatten his take.....
He's 65 now - been stealing for about 30 years -- and they just caught up with him...
Why in hell did it take this long?????

Because DEMOCRATS control every office in sight - no checks and balance -- they all scratch each other's back...

Typical of the poor man's defender - this Democrat even cheated on the taxes that they INSIST we pay.... The little people pay and the fat cat politicians don't.

The Punk Dude...

--------------------------------------------------------

WELCOME TO THE HOTEL VINCENT FUMO:
You Can Check Out Any Time You Like,
But You Can Never Leave

PHILADELPHIA. If you’re looking for a new house, State Sen. Vince Fumo is trying to sell his Fairmount-area fumohouse.jpgmansion. He may be asking almost $7 million, but you’ll save a ton in taxes.

Philadelphia’s Board of Revision of Taxes has valued Fumo’s 29-room home at $250,000 for the past six years, just a fraction of his $6,995,000 asking price. The BRT has required Fumo to pay just $6,611 in real estate taxes each year, which according to tax advocate Brett Mandel is the most vivid picture of the problems with the city’s assessment process.

“Even though thousands of people in Philadelphia are facing increased tax bills, Mr. Fumo hasn’t faced an increase in six years,” said Mandel, of Philadelphia Forward.

By Mandel’s calculations, using the defined formulas for Philadelphia, Fumo’s actual real estate taxes should be in the area of $185,000 per year — $179,000 more than Fumo is actually paying. Mandel, who found several other instances of houses being undervalued by the BRT, says this is proof that the tax assessment system needs to be overhauled.

“Whether it’s ineptitude, political shenanigans or worse, the system is unfair, unjust and it’s illegal,” said Mandel, whose organization is looking into filing a lawsuit against the city and pushing for homeowners to challenge their tax bills.

[Freedom_Fighter_2001]

When will the bodies be exhumed?

[SunkenCiv]

freewheeling Philadelphia Democrat Vincent Fumo used little of his own money as he took yachting vacations with friends, spent lavishly on a 33-room city brownstone and hired operatives to spy on ex-wives and political foes.

Thanks geo. 33 rooms is something worthy of Nero.

[george76]

Nice deal on his property taxes.

/s

[george76]

Good to know low people in high places.

/s

[yankeebulldog]

I agree this seems to be a mostly Democrat tactic. But we’ve had some R’s do the same damn thing. I don’t care if its a D or an R in front of the name; put them in jail.

If McCain wants to fire me up even more (although not required) I’d like to see him charge the FBI with the task of doing ABSCAM like stings to keep them all honest. Murtha survived ABSCAM barely (basically by lying), some other equally sleezey pols did not. Bring it back and keep them all honest Johnny.

[HamiltonJay]

This state is full of Dem problems, that’s another thing outsiders don’t understand or take into account that speak about PA. We have had several dems indicted for using state money to fund campaigns and holding non jobs with the state and running campaigns etc. I forget how many were indicted out of the gate, but the state atty general is basically working his way up the organization and has promised more indictments. Dems are trying to portray him as a partisan because hte state atty general is a republican and in this investigation he’s only indicted democrats so far.

This will likely cost Bill Deweese his job (top dem who has held the legislature at his whim and prevented all efforts for reform for a long long time).

This was huge when it first broke, quieted down some now, and I wouldn’t expect any new indictments between now and election just because of politics, but there are a lot of currents here in PA (Legislative pay raise mess is still having impcat as well with voters) that the national press and pundents have no idea about, or sure aren’t talking or taking into consideration.

I just don’t see Fauxbama winning PA, any other Dem probably would win this state, but Fauxbama? I just don’t see it. He couldn’t win this state in the primaries, I sure don’t see him winning it in the general.

[NFHale]

Good point, HamiltonJay - My problem is this - the PA GOP won’t BATTER the Dems senseless over these issues.

Dems in PA go canvassing door to door; people know their faces, and they vote accordingly - “Hey, at lease HE cared enough to stop by and see me...”. I’ve heard this from people already.

The five outlying Philly counties USED to be Republican strongholds, and now they’re trending Dim because all the Libs created their socialist “Worker’s Paradise” in Philly, but don’t want to live in it - so they move up to the suburbs and bring their stupid political trash with them.

To the PA GOP - Get the HELL off your asses, go out the door of your offices, and start meeting the people whom you want to vote for you!!! Knock on doors, shake peoples’ hands, and get them motivated. If they KNOW who you are, they will vote for you. Don’t whine about the trend if you do NOTHING to change it.

[SES1066]

I can just see the trial, everybody troops in, lawyers marshal their witnesses and then the judge gets a note, asks the defendant his party affiliation, announces that the new ‘check-off’ rules are in effect and has the jury foreman, the sergeant-at-arms of local 141, poll his jurors right there in the courtroom. “Obviously an innocent man” comes back the verdict - dismissed with the thanks of the court.