Congressman Fattah's son gets his house raided by FBI

**ArcticSplash** · 03-01-2012, 08:20 AM

I would love to see who was really behind the SRC contract (i.e. who greased it) to install 3-million dollar turnstiles at the North Broad HQ.

Tony Paton was battling heavily for Queen Arlene even though everyone knew she was tainted with contracting and expense account problems. Would not shock me if some of his friends are SRC contractors or that he links back up with Fattah Jr.

**annie** · 03-01-2012, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by ArcticSplash

I would love to see who was really behind the SRC contract (i.e. who greased it) to install 3-million dollar turnstiles at the North Broad HQ.

$1 million but I don't know who was behind the Elliott Lewis Corporation getting the contract: http://webgui.phila.k12.pa.us/upload...5.10-Final.pdf

**annie** · 03-01-2012, 08:23 PM

Lawyer says there's an explanation for Fattah Jr. payment

Jeff Jubelirer, a spokesman for Shulick, said in a telephone interview the FBI took documents and a computer.
Attention has focused on a $450,000 payment the school made to Fattah Jr.'s firm, about 10 percent of the school's annual earnings from the school district.
Jubelirer said the district required a 10 percent payment to a minority partner, in this case Fattah Jr.'s firm. He says Fattah Jr. didn't simply pocket the money.

The "$450,000 was not a payment made to Chaka Fatta Jr.'s company, period," Jubelirer said."Those were monies that were paid but then, in turn, Fattah Jr. had to use to pay vendors at the school."

Is it just me or does the "explanation" still sound fishy?

**raider.adam** · 03-01-2012, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by annie

Lawyer says there's an explanation for Fattah Jr. payment

Is it just me or does the "explanation" still sound fishy?

Sounds like the usual minority hiring scam for contracts. The minority rules on contracts have gotten so strict that what has been taking place is friends and relatives of the connected politicos get "contract money" that they just give to the other vendors, minus their cut. This way the main contract winner can say they meet the minority business owner thresholds.

**NE19149** · 03-01-2012, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by raider.adam

Sounds like the usual minority hiring scam for contracts. The minority rules on contracts have gotten so strict that what has been taking place is friends and relatives of the connected politicos get "contract money" that they just give to the other vendors, minus their cut. This way the main contract winner can say they meet the minority business owner thresholds.

This crap sounds too prone to corruption.
It should be eliminated and a new fault-free system enlisted.
Something that corrupt/greedy representatives/parties cannot profit from, and cost the taxpayers extra burdons.

**raider.adam** · 03-02-2012, 09:25 AM

Looks like Shulick is a real class act.

His lawsuit didn't fly with judge

**whatever** · 03-02-2012, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by raider.adam

I have said for a very long time one of the biggest problems with the School District is that it is being plundered by politicians and those connected to them.

Adam, A LOT of People have been saying that for a long time. Even the "ordinary" people. Have you see the documentary "The Cabal" about the New Jersey School District?

**whatever** · 03-02-2012, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by raider.adam

Sounds like the usual minority hiring scam for contracts. The minority rules on contracts have gotten so strict that what has been taking place is friends and relatives of the connected politicos get "contract money" that they just give to the other vendors, minus their cut. This way the main contract winner can say they meet the minority business owner thresholds.

This is one "non- ordinary people' scam. Daddy refused to enforce saftey and lawful procedure at Devon when asked. If that "crew" could find each other , they should band together and sue for non OSHA standards.

**Dave** · 03-04-2012, 03:27 PM

This sounds a little like extortion to me...

Behind the facade, troubles rose for Fattah son

...

"If you live in Philadelphia, you've got to support the politicians. Period," he said. "If you don't, bad things will happen."

...

He also never said why he rehired "Chip" after firing him for bouncing check and bringing his financial troubles to the office. Did the reporter(s) even ask him? I suspect the quote above might answer the question, though.

**raider.adam** · 03-04-2012, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by Dave

This sounds a little like extortion to me...

Behind the facade, troubles rose for Fattah son

He also never said why he rehired "Chip" after firing him for bouncing check and bringing his financial troubles to the office. Did the reporter(s) even ask him? I suspect the quote above might answer the question, though.

Much of that article shows you the problems that Philadelphia has with how money is handed out.

**Illiniwek** · 03-04-2012, 05:31 PM

Ugh.

**billy ross** · 03-04-2012, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by annie

That's not what's happening here at all.

Students and parents do choose DVHS from a list of accelerated program providers and the list of providers apparently includes a shady company that gives half a million to a politician's son for "consulting." That's what makes your proposed solution so funny. I'm not saying everyone has to attend 5 hour SRC meetings with me but you do know they televise and stream them live, right? When taking a stand on things, it is helpful to be informed.

The Dems require a 10% set-aside for minority 'contractors'. Everyone in construction knows that this leads directly to no-show contracts and increased costs where 'minority firms' get the contracts and do zero of the work. Like much other lefty stuff, the program achieves exactly the opposite of its intent. Instead of helping minority firms to thrive, it just rewards the crooks. That seems to be what'a happened here. I've always been against setting aside work for minority-owned firms. It just causes minority-owned firms to not be able to compete in the broader marketplace (which has a level playing field), since they only compete against each other in the crooked market. It's sick, but we've only ourselves to blame, since we've made the rules up this way.

**BarryG** · 03-23-2012, 10:20 AM

The son of U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, whose political-consulting business is already under FBI investigation, has been sued for failing to repay a $56,000 bank loan.

Link: Fattah Jr. sued over $56,000 United Bank loan

**NE19149** · 03-23-2012, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by BarryG

Link: Fattah Jr. sued over $56,000 United Bank loan

Someone to look up to and admire, eh?
Let's elect him mayor or something.

**annie** · 06-10-2012, 09:36 AM

Under investigation, Delaware Valley High School gets mixed reviews

Former teachers also say the budgets cited in Delaware Valley's contracts with the school district contain inaccuracies. Those documents show teachers receive $45,000 salaries plus benefits. The former teachers said DVHS pays $36,000 if they waive their benefits, $31,000 if they want them. The lower amounts are shown in ads for teaching positions Delaware Valley has posted for the 2012-13 year.

**nickster** · 06-10-2012, 10:45 PM

Hmm...I wonder if Chip's real name is Arthur Davenport, Jr.?

**annie** · 07-02-2012, 08:50 AM

Fattah's son hit with tax lien on business

**annie** · 09-11-2012, 07:31 AM

Harrah's sues Fattah Jr. for $16K in bounced checks

Stupidity or the start of a "gambling addiction made me do it" defense or both?

**FKD19124** · 09-11-2012, 08:57 AM

thats great but then you have the unions to deal with too who control much of what goes on.
Remember, thats their bread and butter.

Originally Posted by billy ross

While I do admit to liking charters, I don't think they're a silver bullet. I support a model where families control, as much as possilbe, where students attend school. Schools which aren't compelling empty out and shrink or go away. Schools which are compelling fill up and expand or beget imitators. There are many types of providers, and I don't favor one over another - my preference is to allow people to vote with their feet. That's thw whole point - I or anyone else shouldn't tell families where they must send their kids. If they don't like charters, charters will go away, and I am absolutely fine with that. I can guarantee that some will, and deservedly so - I freely admit that some politicians have set up terrible charters. This needs to come to light and the stink needs to be removed. I think that's sort of what's happening here, and remember that DVHS is a for-profit school, not a charter.

**seand** · 09-11-2012, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by annie

Fattah's son hit with tax lien on business

This is the first I've read where it was strongly implied that more than just "my Dad's a major player give me this patronage contract" i.e. Chip being a Milton Street, stealing what he could from a percieved level of access, rather than actual access.

This indicates the initial investigation at least points back to Dad the congressman and some level of actual access in Washington for sale.

Richardson said his office's decision to file the lien predated the FBI raid. From start to finish, the research and preparation for filing of liens can take several months, he said.

Rep. Fattah, the top Democrat on the House appropriations subcommittee, backed Delaware Valley's unsuccessful attempt to secure $375,000 in federal funds for environmentally friendly student buses.

The congressman, who represented Philadelphia since 1995, said the school received no special treatment. Its request and 29 others that his staff received were forwarded to the congressional committee considering the funding, he said in a statement. No funding was granted for the Delaware Valley request.

The FBI's investigation of Fattah Jr. is a spinoff from last year's conviction of Philadelphia lawyer Mikel Jones, a former aide to U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings (D., Fla.).

Documents from the criminal case show that Jones told FBI agents that he had hired 259 Strategies and another company run by Fattah - American Royalty, a concierge-type service.

An FBI memo on the interview said agents questioned Jones about $90,000 he paid to Fattah's firms. But it said Jones, who is awaiting sentencing, could not give specifics on the work Fattah did.

"Was it a good investment, strictly speaking? No," the memo quoted Jones as saying. "But I was desperate and he had access." It gave no details on the supposed access.

In an interview with The Inquirer last year, Fattah said his work for Jones had nothing to do with providing access to his father or anyone else.