has allowed him to spend little on campaigning. 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. 20072023 Blackpast.org. On December 12, 2016, Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison and began serving his term at the Federal Correctional Institution, McKean, Pennsylvania on January 25, 2017. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Hes done lots of favors for lots of people, Dilworth said. Started in 1983 by Pennsylvanias Act 91 of 1983, it was only one of its kind until 2010 when Fattah added language to the Dodd Frank bill to provide similar assistance, to homeowners nationwide. Chenault-Fattah, 57, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. His wife is Renee Chenault-Fattah (m. 2001) Chaka Fattah Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Fattah was a former state lawmaker and Philadelphia official who was elected to Congress in 1994. For example, Fattah used $23,000 in nonprofit funds to repay his sons college loans and took an $18,000 bribe to try to help a friend become an ambassador. The prize? He says hes just fine garnering the support. Fattah, frankly, doesnt care about the politicians who have backed his most well-knownopponent. Property records indicate the house, near the Delaware River north of Milford, has about 2,800 square feet with three bedrooms, 21/2 bathrooms, a fireplace, and a deck. According to local lore, this cottage once served as a way station for hunters. Two of Fattah's political consultants and accomplices pleaded guilty and testified against him. 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.. A subsequent Philadelphia Daily News investigation revealed that nonprofits receiving federal funding and connected to Fattah paid out over $5.8 million to Fattah allies and alleged that many of these payments were ethically dubious. (Instead of a paywall). Chenault-Fattah is raising money on the Indiegogo crowd-funding website for a new documentary called In Search of Lost Time: Alzheimer's and Dementia's Impact on People of Color,that she's producing along with veteran filmmaker Bob Lott of Teamwork Productions. 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. ButFattah says he wont dignify the charges by getting into the nitty-gritty. In the late 1990s she broadcast segments on her own pregnancy, which was achieved through anonymous artificial insemination. Politics Was " Fun ". See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2010#District 2. Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours. 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. Chaka Fattah is a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Fattah endorsed Barack Obama for President in 2008. Anna Orso was a reporter/curator at Billy Penn from 2014 to 2017. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 21 November. He says at least 25 million people have been impacted by his programs (there are 715,000 people in hisdistrict, 1.5 million in Philadelphiaand 12.8 million in the state), and that there isnt a single person in the citywho has not been touched in some significant, positive way by something he put in place. Andthe Department of Justice contends its investigators werent unfairly targeting the congressman. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The younger Fattah is serving a five-year sentence. Im as innocent as you are under our system, Fattah said. These are the people that have been voting for me and praying for me for all these years.. He was never challenged in the Democratic primary until 2016, when he lost to Dwight E. Evans. Now all of a sudden he wants to run for mayor and he shows up dispensing checks. What hewilladmit: Raising cash for re-election while under the cloud of federal indictmenthas been a struggle. 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? They include former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Herbert Vederman, of Palm Springs, Florida, who had sought the ambassadorship. After being sentenced to 10 years in prison for a 23-count conviction for racketeering, fraud and other corruption charges, disgraced former Congressman Chaka Fattah was released from prison last July after about one year. Since 2011, it has assisted 4.5million students and their families. 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). Wisely, Chenault-Fattah, now 60, decided to stick to what she's known for, which is telling stories. 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. While you have done much good, you also engaged in grave and widespread criminal activity, Bartle said. But the icing on this crooked cake is that Fattah is collecting a taxpayer-funded pension. Theyre from the White House, The New York Times, The Inquirer, The Times of Israel. "People will say, 'We miss seeing you on TV and it's such a shame what happened to your husband and your family," Chenault-Fattah said. For context, heres what geographic area the second district covers: [googledocs url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=zpCiRP_-CLNE.kuzLxa1XGo9o height=480 width=640]. The legislation provides a 50% tax credit to donors who contribute to qualifying scholarship trusts that are recognized and registered with the Secretary of the Treasury. Experts seem to agree that prosecutors have their hands full trying to prove theircharges because of a long paper trail (900,000 pages of government evidence) that will have to be nailed down in court. Some of the earliest charges stem from Fattahs failed bid for Philadelphia mayor in 2007, when his early lead was dwindling just weeks before the primary and he was running low on cash. Im going to get these allegations behind me. He talks about how former Mayor Michael Nutter spent about a third of whatbusinessman Tom Knox did in the 2007 mayoral race. Social Activism Brings a Name Change. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman,. 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. After emerging as a mayoral candidate, Fattah came under fire from the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police for his repeated calls to grant a new trial to Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of murdering police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981; he also was criticized for possibly unethical campaign spending, based on new campaign finance rules adopted by the city of Philadelphia. All they have to do is believe in the system.. All Rights Reserved. Congressman William Gray decided to resign. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. On June 21, 2016, a federal jury convicted Fattah, 59, of bribery, mail fraud, and 27 other charges including misappropriating campaign, charity, and taxpayer money. Chaka Chip Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. was indicted on federal corruption charges on Wednesday in connection with fraud around his unsuccessful 2007 campaign for mayor of Philadelphia. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. 4646) which proposed to repeal the federal income tax and replace it with a 1 percent "transaction tax" on every financial transaction whether paid by cash, credit card or any form of financial transfer, the only exception being transactions involving the purchase or sale of stock. He was convicted on 23 counts of racketeering, fraud, and other corruption charges on June 21, 2016, and resigned two days later. Fattah resigned from office on June 23, 2016, following a racketeering conviction. That is not going to be the big deal of whatever is said about me, he says, pausing to point at the 22 articles that lay out his political accomplishments. "And when it's all said and done, I would like for the story to be, 'We miss you on TV. The latest property being unloaded in the Disgraced Pol Hit Parade went on the market last Tuesday. Who Is Chaka Fattah's Wife? When charges came down last summer, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Fattah had rightly given up his ranking position. 3941-45 W. Netherfield Rd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19129 [Connie Gillespie | ElfantWissahickon Realtors], Philadelphia Shops and Resources Thatll Help Outfit Your Dream Home Office Space, The Most Walkable Philadelphia Suburbs and Neighborhoods. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The spacious main residence is in excellent shape and retains most of its Old English charm. While a court of appeals in 2018 threw out some of the bribery from Fattahs conviction, a judge last year kept his 10-year sentence intact. "I love my husband. Credit NBC10. Sign up for the free Billy Penn newsletter and stay in the know, Fattahwasnt known as the type of person who would frequentlyhelp other politicos around town raise money. "[That] has nothing to do with the fact that Ive been found on the wrong side of these questions by a jury.. Fattah ran for re-election to his seat in 2016, but he was defeated by Dwight Evans in the Democratic primary. In August 2014, Fattah's longtime aide and close confidant Gregory Naylor pled guilty to federal charges in a complex money laundering scheme used to hide an illegal million-dollar loan that a candidate, unnamed in that indictment, received for his failed mayoral campaign in 2007. 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 in her 50th ward. 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. "I had talked to a coworker this past summer, but would much rather it be in your possession," she wrote, according to the indictment. Fattah represented the 2nd district in Pennsylvania, an overwhelmingly Democratic district, in the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2016. Phillys mayoral candidates are tiptoeing onto TikTok. Legal Statement. The long-running criminal scheme was related to paying back a loan from Fattahs unsuccessful run for Philadelphia mayor in 2007. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today! Fattah, 60, served 22 years in Congress . 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. Chaka Fattah's income source is mostly from being a successful . 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. Thats an area where Evans whos successfully stumped for other candidates across the state has him beat. Fattah and his wife used the $18,000 for a down payment on a Poconos vacation home. Renee Chenault-Fattah, wife of the indicted Rep. Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.), was not charged by federal authorities Wednesday - but the longtime NBC10 anchor did not escape the U.S. attorney's charging document. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Fattah is only 64 years old, so his estimated lifetime pension is $1 million. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, Rep. Chaka Fattah responds to corruption charges: "This is not Deflate-gate", NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, convicted of misspending government grants and charity money to fund his campaign and personal expenses. ( Photo via Facebook ), California residents do not sell my data request. He resigned from Congress two days later. For these additional counts, Fattah was again sentenced to 10 years of incarceration on July 12, 2019. Theres no better time to kick a candidate than when hes down. Richardson Dilworth, a professor of politics and the director of Drexels Center for Public Policy (and, yes, grandson of the former mayor), observed that Fattah has great name recognition in his district, andsaid hes not convinced his indictment is going hurt him much at the polls. This was my first big success in Congress.. The estimated pension is at least $55,000 per year. Fattah and the other co-conspirators submitted false billing statements to his mayoral campaign in order to keep the loan secret. Fattahs wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, was implicated in the indictment against the congressman and nolonger sits at the anchor deskat NBC 10 where she worked for nearly 25years. 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. (That) has nothing to do with the fact that Ive been found on the wrong side of these questions by a jury.. Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson. With other women, he is the father of another daughter, Frances ("Fran"), and one son, Chaka Fattah Jr., known as "Chip", who was convicted of felony bank and tax fraud in February 2016. The kitchen is totally up-to-date with the requisite granite countertops, stainless steel high-end appliances, and island workspace. On June 21, 2016, Fattah was convicted of all charges, including racketeering conspiracy, bribery, bank fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a financial institution, and falsification of records. On November 5, 1991, City Councilman Lucien Edward Blackwell won the election with a plurality of 39% of the vote defeating Fattah (28%), John F. White (28%), and Nadine Smith-Bulford (5%). In December 2011, Fattah through his role on the Appropriations Committee, directed the OSTP to establish an Interagency Working Group on Neuroscience (IWGN). Congressman Chaka Fattah, a Philadelphia Democrat, speaks to the center for American Progress in 2010. Sure, Fattahis still a member of several subcommittees that handle appropriations. They dont even have to believe in me. Ironically, Fattah says that one day he hopes his legacy in Philadelphia is not about his success at the polls or the elections hes won or even about his prominence in the Washington Democratic establishment, but rather, he says, about what hes done for his constituents and for the country. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. "If you're black or Hispanic, you're twice as likely to be impacted by this disease," Chenault-Fattah told me. He challenged the FBI's focus on his wife . 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.. Convicted Former Congressman Still Draws Estimated $1 Million Federal Lifetime Pension. | AP Photo. He won a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, where he was able to steer millions of dollars in earmarks back home. "My dad died from pancreatic cancer. 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. This was a significant decrease from the 2012 election, when Fattah received 302,746 votes, more votes than any other member of the House of Representatives for that election. At 66 years old, Chaka Fattah height not available right now. 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.. 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. Evans came in fifth of five.) Theyre both expected to start spending soon on television ads to increase name recognition in the district. Fattahs third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, is a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster. Congressional pensions are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). After Congress tightened ethics laws, convicted members of Congress were supposed to lose federal pensions. He's doing well. Fattah told Bartle that he had helped tens of millions of people during his time in office, despite the crimes hed been convicted of committing. 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. Fattah was challenged by Republican nominee Robert Allen Mansfield, Jr. and Independent candidate and publisher of the Germantown Newspapers, Jim Foster. Committed to fair housing. The case was then remanded for resentencing. When former WCAU-TV co-anchor Renee Chenault wedded former Congressman Chaka Fattah in 2001, the Daily News proclaimed theirs the marriage of a century. And for a while, it looked as if it was just that. Meanwhile, Evans had $303,000 on hand and Muroff had $208,000. AOTC provides up to $2500 tax credit for families to assist them with the cost of college. Two of Fattahs political consultants pleaded guilty in the case and testified against him. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. If you know Chaka, he is the eternal optimist. So, how much is Chaka Fattah worth at the age of 66 years old? The indictment says Chenault-Fattah e-mailed Vederman in January 2012 about purchasing her car. May 17, 2021 After being sentenced to 10 years in prison for a 23-count conviction for racketeering, fraud and other corruption charges, disgraced former Congressman Chaka Fattah was released from prison last July after about one year. Chaka Fattah 1956 . Wheres he been?, Love Philly? His candidacy announcement took place next to the recently completed Microsoft School of the Future in the city's Parkside neighborhood to emphasize his campaign platform of better educational opportunities for city youth. The elder Fattah, 59, faces his own corruption trial before Bartle on May 2. Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. 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. 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 under-represented graduate students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM fields). 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 . In May 1986, he received his master's degree in Governmental Administration from the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government. 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. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman, is married to longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. ", NBC 10 News Anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. However,he was once the top Democrat on the group that handles cash flow to Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies. In May 2013, Fattah introduced the Creating Jobs through Cooperatives Act (HR 2437). Fattah was the lead Democrat responsible for the funding of the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney General. He even lobbied President Barack Obama on the friends behalf, to no avail. 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. On July 29, 2015, Fattah and a group of associates were indicted on federal charges related to their alleged roles in a racketeering and influence peddling conspiracy. Time Magazine named Fattah one of the 50 most promising leaders in the country. Fattah has 22 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, and another 12 in public service to rattle off when anyone asks why hes running for re-election to represent the second congressional district for a 12th term. , money, salary, income, and assets. During his sentencing in 2016, U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle called the Philadelphia-area lawmaker's crimes "astonishing" given that he and his TV anchor wife had a $500,000 annual income that put them at or near the "top 1 percent.". Or rather, Chaka and Renee. Each touts something Fattah did while in the United States Congress representing Philadelphia. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. 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. Committed to one day maybe six days after the primary, the scheduled start date of his trial fighting those criminal charges. 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. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. So, how much is Chaka Fattah worth at the age of 66 years old? Market data provided by Factset. He also mentioned Rep. Curt Weldon, a Republican congressman from the Philly burbs and a veritable 9/11 trutherwho served in Congress until 2007 when he lost to Joe Sestak, now a senate candidate. [Hes]got an incredible social network. He can tout his role in passing the Affordable Care Act. [But] there are lots of people he hasnt done favors for, too. 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. Theyre both expected to start spending soon on television ads to increase name recognition in the district. Congressman Chaka Fattah. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia remanded for new sentencing and Fattah was again sentenced to 10 years on July 12, 2019. 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. From the outside, things seem painfulfor Fattahs family. This dominancehas allowed him to spend little on campaigning, save for his 2007 bid for mayor. Congressman Chaka Fattah, November 20, 2014. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Ambition Is an Asset. (Of note: Fattah came in fourth in that race. Im going to win this election. The FBI further alleged that Fattah accepted an $18,000 bribe from a man seeking an ambassadorship. The latest bill places more focus on eliminating the federal debt. But this time around, she intends to be an advocate forcauses about which she's passionate. Rep. Chaka Fattah was indicted Wednesday on racketeering charges tied to a host of public corruption schemes, the Department of Justice said. He says hes just fine garnering the support of the full Democratic city committee and the endorsement of unions likethe Service Employees International Union and AFSCME district council 33. 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. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Ive helped tens of millions of people, Fattah said. In 2005, Fattah opposed the War in Iraq and supported Congressman John Murtha's call for troop withdrawal. "And that's something that a large segment of the population is not aware of. They have one daughter, Chandler Fattah. A source speculated to The Philadelphia Inquirer that the decision could be tied to coronavirus concerns. Renee Chenault-Fattah. Fattah was convicted in June on a number of federal corruption charges, including bribery, racketeering, money laundering, bank fraud, mail and wire fraud, and filing false statements. Market data provided by Factset. The Congressman has an older son, Chaka Fattah, Jr., also a politician, who was convicted of felony bank and tax fraud in February 2016. Fattah is married to his third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster on WCAU-TV (NBC 10). Fattah has long been attempting to have his sentence one of the longest ever imposed for a member of Congress reduced. 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. She's done with that. ", When I asked how he's faring in federal prison, she said, "Chaka's doing great. Fattah was the lead Democrat responsible for funding some of the largest science agencies in the federal system (NASA, NSF, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). In 2002, he was named to the PoliticsPA list of Best Dressed Legislators, noting his "excellence in haberdashery.". Chaka Fattah Jr., Frances Fattah, Chandler Faith Fattah, Cameron Chenault. The taskforce included both liberal and conservative Democrats, gun owners and Representatives from various cities. The Fattah campaign defended itself, claiming that it had followed less restrictive federal rules in spending the money, but eventually returned a portion of the excess contributions to the exploratory committee following a settlement with the city's Board of Ethics. When I reached out to her on Tuesday, she was about to take part in a round-table discussion organized by Us Against Alzheimer's. 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.