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. Fattahs third wife, Renee Chenault-Fattah, is a former Philadelphia television news broadcaster. He challenged the FBI's focus on his wife . Fattah is also the creator of Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). Anchor Jim Rosenfield, speaking during Wednesday's 4 p.m. newscast, said Chenault-Fattah "is now on leave.". In 2004, Fattah introduced a bill titled the "Transform America Transaction Fee," (H.R. Fattah has long been attempting to have his sentence one of the longest ever imposed for a member of Congress reduced. Still, as. But now, with about two months to go before the primary, three challengers have emerged: Longtime Northwest Philly state Rep. Dwight Evans, Lower Merion Township Commissioner Brian Gordon and ward leader Dan Muroff. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. ET. He publicly supported the Bring Our Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Act a bill that called for bringing the troops home within six months and transitioning the Iraqis to self-government. 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. Suddenly, the popular broadcaster was a stay-at-home mom with a whole lot of time on her hands and a non-compete clause that sidelined her for a least a year. Hes a member of the Democratic political establishment in both Philadelphia and Washington, and predicts that if things go his way, hes next in line to take over as the Democratic chairman of the Committee on Appropriations in the House. Meanwhile, Evans had $303,000 on hand and Muroff had $208,000. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. He is from . The kitchen is totally up-to-date with the requisite granite countertops, stainless steel high-end appliances, and island workspace. 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. The Philadelphia Democrat, who was first elected to . 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. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. In 2002, he introduced the "Student Bill of Rights", H.R. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman,. The program promotes college attendance among the nations most impoverished students. Committed to fair housing. The indictment says Chenault-Fattah e-mailed Vederman in January 2012 about purchasing her car. Fattah eventually came in fourth in the Democratic primary, close behind fellow Congressman Bob Brady but well behind former city councilman Michael Nutter, who went on to win the fall general election handily. The biggest deal is: What did you do?, Nice to see you. Fattah and his wife used the $18,000 for a down payment on a Poconos vacation home. Hes done lots of favors for lots of people, Dilworth said. The couple, married in 2001, have one daughter, Chandler Fattah. Congressional pensions are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). [But] there are lots of people he hasnt done favors for, too. The latest property being unloaded in the Disgraced Pol Hit Parade went on the market last Tuesday. From 1995 to 2016, Fattah served as the U.S. Representative from Pennsylvanias 2nd Congressional District. The Court of Appeals remanded for a new trial as to certain bribery and money laundering counts, concluding that the jury had not been properly instructed regarding official acts in a bribery context. 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. This dominance. 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). In December 2011, Fattah through his role on the Appropriations Committee, directed the OSTP to establish an Interagency Working Group on Neuroscience (IWGN). Even though she's been off the air for almost three years, people still recognize Chenault-Fattah when she's out and about and question her about when she'll be back on air. State Rep. Brian Sims declared himself a challenger, then dropped out before filing day. Now I know its actually people in the barbershops and the beauty salons. 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. Politics Was " Fun ". The spacious main residence is in excellent shape and retains most of its Old English charm. He brings up that former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush spent $136 million compared to Donald Trumps $11 million. Chaka Fattah of racketeering, bribery, money laundering, and fraud. The #WasteOfTheDay is presented by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com. The elder Fattah, 59, faces his own corruption trial before Bartle on May 2. This was her first interview since her husband's conviction, so I asked her about that not that I could get her to say much about Chaka, his legal case or the infamous 1989 Porsche that prosecutors alleged was a cover for a bribe from a lobbyist. 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. So it was interesting to hear Chenault-Fattah spout facts and figures about Alzheimer's, which impacts about 5.7 million Americans. The Republican party may have won a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, but a seat was still found for a liberal named Chaka Fattah.The freshman Democratic congressman from Philadelphia is a lawmaker who has . Meanwhile, Fattah has taken heat from the judge in the case for publicly claiming hes more focused on winning re-election than he is in defending himself. / CBS/AP. 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. On December 12, 2016, Fattah was sentenced to 10 years in prison. (Instead of a paywall). However, the listing agent states that most of the information about this property in public records is inaccurate and that a recentlycompleted survey of the property is available. 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. Evans came in fifth of five.) Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr., who never finished college, was convicted of using fraudulently obtained business loans to fund his jet-set lifestyle. He says hes just fine garnering the support. Please enter valid email address to continue. On Monday, U.S. District Judge sentenced Fattah to 10 years in prison. He's currently serving a 10-year prison sentence. Vederman wrote back to Fattah, "love to purchase" the car, according to the indictment, and later wired $18,000 to Fattah. His bill calls for $25 million federal investment and technical assistance to cooperatives through a new National Cooperative Development Center. What hewilladmit: Raising cash for re-election while under the cloud of federal indictmenthas been a struggle. Fattah's wife, longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah and their two daughters were not charged. Fattah was the recipient of numerous honors and awards including 10 honorary doctorates and the University of Pennsylvanias Fels Institute of Government Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. "And when it's all said and done, I would like for the story to be, 'We miss you on TV. Fattah attended Overbrook High School in Philadelphia and graduated with his BA from the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School of Business in 1978. In November 2006, he declared his candidacy for Mayor of Philadelphia, where two-term incumbent Mayor John F. Street was barred from re-election by term limits, amid pressure from Democratic voters to keep his Congressional seat in order to maintain a Philadelphia representative on the powerful Appropriations Committee in the House. Ive helped tens of millions of people, Fattah said. Bartle ordered Fattah to pay . But Fattah says hes also more committed now than he ever has been. 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. "Whether it's diabetes, whether it's heart disease, strokes across the board.". Chaka Fattah (born Arthur Davenport; November 21, 1956) is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who served as a Democratic member of the U.S. House for Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 2016. These are the people that have been voting for me and praying for me for all these years.. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. And Im going to leave it to others to figure out everybodys motives.. In May 1986, he received his master's degree in Governmental Administration from the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government. Suddenly, the popular broadcaster was a stay-at-home mom with a whole lot of time on her hands and a non-compete clause that sidelined her for a least a year. "[That] has nothing to do with the fact that Ive been found on the wrong side of these questions by a jury.. Voting ina new congressman would be, in his words, a Chip Kelly trade something that, roughly speaking, changes the team but for the worse. Fattah insists the Justice Department, though led by fellow Democrats, has been out to get him and his family for years. A source speculated to The Philadelphia Inquirer that the decision could be tied to coronavirus concerns. She was never charged and has denied wrongdoing. They dont even have to believe in me. Both bills died without any action being taken. 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. But she was less open to talking about her incarcerated husband, former U.S. As a member of Pennsylvanias state House Fattah wrote and passed into law Pennsylvanias Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP). December 12, 2016 / 12:36 PM 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. Committed to youth mentorship. Fattah also provided a copy of the title to the Porsche to the bank, the indictment says. Advertisement She's done with that. "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. Neither Fattahs attorney,Sam Silver, northe prison bureau would comment to local media on why Fattah was released early from lockup, but his release appears to have been the call of the Bureau of Prisons. The credit is unique in that families under a set income without a tax liability are eligible for a tax rebate. Legal Statement. Thats as he continues to collect his pension, as no member of Congress has ever been stripped of their pension. 2016 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. NBC10's Deanna Durante explains how. On July 29, 2015, Fattah and four of his associates, Bonnie Bowser, Karen Nicholas, Herbert Verderman and Robert Brand were indicted for their alleged roles in a racketeering conspiracy involving several schemes that were intended to further the political and financial interests of the defendants and others by, among other tactics, misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars of federal, charitable and campaign funds. 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 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. Twenty-twoarticles and press releases are strewn across a dark wood table in the board room of Congressman Chaka Fattahs West Philly office. The cottage has a high-ceilinged living room with fireplace and a sleeping loft. I don't want to say anything about the case because it's being appealed. If youve ever dreamed of living like a baron for less than a million bucks, nows your chance: the Fattahs loss is your gain. 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. 1579. Its very hard he said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Following this conference, his mother decided to change his name to Chaka Fattah, to acknowledge their African ethnicity. 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.". His parents divorced, and his mother married David Fattah, changed her name to Falaka Fattah, and changed her sons name as well. The two-story carriage house can serve as a separate residence for an in-law, aupair or guests. , money, salary, income, and assets. He won landslide after landslide every two years since 1994 without facing a formidable opponent once in the Democratic primary, and certainly not in the general election. [Hes]got an incredible social network. The Fattahs were buying a vacation home in Shohola, Pa., the indictment says, and had agreed to pay just over $19,000 in settlement costs at closing. Those in high places will certainly know what happens in this courtroom today, said U.S. District Judge Harvery Bartle, III, as he sentenced Fattah, according to WPVI, a Philadelphia TV station. He's currently serving a 10-year prison sentence. Former Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah (Pa.) was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday by a federal judge in Philadelphia. 2451. But this is only part of the story. Fattahs position on the spending committee has allowed him to direct resources to programs hes prioritized over the years, whether its neuroscience and research involving brain function, youth mentoring expansion or education programs that have helped underprivileged families send their kids to college. Fattah, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, began his political career working as the Special Assistant to the Director of Housing and Community Development in Philadelphia from 1980 to 1981. (Of note: Fattah came in fourth in that race. He brings up that former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush spent $136 million compared to Donald Trumps $11 million. He previously served in the Pennsylvania Senate and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. 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. 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. Fattah, who earned $174,000 as a congressman, is married to longtime Philadelphia news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah. Sure, Fattahis still a member of several subcommittees that handle appropriations. Social Activism Brings a Name Change. A jury has decided that based on the evidence presented to them that I am guilty of charges presented by the government. The congressman's wife, NBC10 news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, was not in the courtroom. AOTC provides up to $2500 tax credit for families to assist them with the cost of college. He won a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, where he was able to steer millions of dollars in earmarks back home. And his family has fallen with him. By misusing campaign funds, misappropriating government funds, accepting bribes, and committing bank fraud, as alleged in the Indictment, Congressman Fattah and his co-conspirators have betrayed the public trust and undermined faith in government..