Mayor's BlackBerry seized by FBI

phillynews ^ | Thomas J. Gibbons Jr., L. Stuart Ditzen and Joseph Tanfani

[Dog]

Mayor's BlackBerry seized by FBI By Thomas J. Gibbons Jr., L. Stuart Ditzen and Joseph Tanfani

Federal authorities have seized Mayor Street’s BlackBerry handheld computer as part of their wide-ranging probe into possible corruption in City Hall.

Armed with a warrant, FBI agents arrived at City Hall and asked for the BlackBerry late this afternoon - hours after Philadelphia police, in a sweep of the mayor’s office, discovered a sophisticated listening device and several microphones the FBI had planted in the ceiling of Street’s City Hall office, said an official involved in the investigation.

Street turned the device over to Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson, who in turn gave it to the FBI, the official said. Street immediately declined comment, and federal authorities could not be immediately reached.

Though Street continued to sound a note of vindication yesterday, stressing that he was not a “target” of corruption prosecutors, the revelation about his BlackBerry is another sign that he may be a focus of a wide-ranging federal probe into corruption in city contracts.

“I’m having a great day,” a smiling Street said on CNN. “Because it’s been confirmed by the US Attorney that I’m not the target of any federal investigation….To now have that part of the thing cleared up is very important to me.”

But a high ranking law enforcement official, who declined to be named in print, said: “They don’t put a room bug in the office of a person to get evidence about his associate. You’re talking about criminal conduct in that room.”

For the mayor, the BlackBerry, a wireless handheld device for emailing and scheduling, has been more than a constant companion; it has been his lifeline. The mayor fiddles with the device often during meetings, peering over his reading glasses to scan e-mails and firing off directives to top administration officials and others.

The BlackBerry figured in the 2001 state takeover of the Philadelphia Parking Authority. House Speaker John M. Perzel said he launched the takeover after the mayor ignored him, engrossed in the BlackBerry, during a summit on city school funding.

For two days, Street has been saying he had done nothing wrong and demanded that federal officials reveal why they had bugged his office -- while never mentioning the fact that a warrant was served on his office for his personal computer on today.

Federal agents followed up the seizing of the BlackBerry with several searches on Wednesday, including a business run in part by a prominent Muslim cleric, Imam Shamsud-din Ali, that was handed no-bid city work under the Street administration.

Agents also seized the records from Ali’s accountant, J. Salter Consulting, in the 7400 block of Rhodes Street. The firm, run by Jeanice M. Salter, has served as the account for some of the city’s leading political figures and also for politically active non-profit agencies.

A man who asked the phone at Jeanice Salter would make no comment about the investigation.

Jeanice Salter is the accountant for the American Cities Foundation, closely tied to U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah.

[Dog]

Uh oh......

[Dog]

Here you go..

[republicanwizard]

It's raining Katz and dogs.

[oldironsides]

Al Gore had one. Funny how the Dems think

[Support Free Republic]

"Facts are stubborn things, and whatever may be our
wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions,
they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
- John Adams -

Make your statement.

[republicanwizard]

What is it every time I listen to Wachet Auf these great things happen? I know the music is ethereal, but this is stretching it.

[End Times Sentinel]

Clearly, an innocent man being set up by Karl Rove and the VRWC.

Owl_Eagle

" WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH"

[Right Wing Professor]

And they said Lombard was the crookedest Street in the world!

[aristeides]

“I’m having a great day,” a smiling Street said on CNN. “Because it’s been confirmed by the US Attorney that I’m not the target of any federal investigation….To now have that part of the thing cleared up is very important to me.”

Did he say that before or after they seized his Blackberry?

I don't imagine the feds were much amused by yesterday's shenanigans.

[Neets]

Boy, he's really in a Jam now!!!

[Dog]

Street has been on local tv today....proclaiming himself cleared......wonder how he will spin this..

[Dog]

Before ..

[Agnes Heep]

Seized his blackberry, eh? That sounds like sexual harrassment to me.

[FReepaholic]

They'll be going after his Dingleberries next.

[Snowy]

Seized his blackberry, eh? That sounds like sexual harrassment to me.

LOL!

[bvw]

I guess there's now a market niche for blackberrie self-destruct devices. Maybe a magnesium and nitrate foil around the battery.

[WackyKat]

They'll be after his Chocolate Salty Balls next!

[Shermy]

For the mayor, the BlackBerry, a wireless handheld device for emailing and scheduling, has been more than a constant companion; it has been his lifeline. The mayor fiddles with the device often during meetings, peering over his reading glasses to scan e-mails and firing off directives to top administration officials and others.

The BlackBerry figured in the 2001 state takeover of the Philadelphia Parking Authority. House Speaker John M. Perzel said he launched the takeover after the mayor ignored him, engrossed in the BlackBerry, during a summit on city school funding.

The Mayor has a BlackBerry addiction. Can this device have an option video game function?

[wiseone]

if he'd used encryption software,the devices could not be read!

[Zathras]

I needed that humor today.