Democrat Culture Of Corruption #100: Penn Senator Vincent Fumo Convicted
This piece of crap is one busy corruptocrat:
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Vincent Fumo, once one of the most powerful figures in Pennsylvania politics, was convicted Monday of more than 130 counts of corruption for schemes that defrauded the state Senate and others of more than $3.5 million and helped pay for his lavish lifestyle.
The 65-year-old former state senator was found guilty of all 137 counts against him, which also included obstruction of justice for destroying e-mail evidence.
Mr. Fumo insists we’re all making a fuss about nothin’ serious:
U.S. District Judge Ronald L. Buckwalter set bail at $2 million, to be secured with Fumo’s properties, including mansions in Philadelphia and Florida, a central Pennsylvania farm, and a New Jersey beach house. Prosecutors had argued that bail should be revoked, saying Fumo made more than $10 million a few years ago from the sale of his family bank.
“I don’t know where that money is. It could be sitting in a bank somewhere overseas,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pease.
Fumo has until Wednesday to post bail.
Former Fumo aide Ruth Arnao was found guilty of all 45 counts against her, including defrauding Citizens’ Alliance, a nonprofit.
Fumo testified in his defense for six days, comparing some of his excesses to spitting on the sidewalk.
The showdown with prosecutors capped a long trial that detailed the enviable lifestyle Fumo lived. Prosecutors charged that the already wealthy Fumo misspent more than $2 million of senate resources and another $1.5 million from the Citizens’ Alliance for Better Neighborhoods and the Independence Seaport Museum.
Arnao, a former aide who ran Citizens’ Alliance, is married to Fumo’s friend, and with her husband enjoyed free yacht trips with Fumo on a museum-owned vessel.
A string of Senate employees testified during the trial that they ran Fumo’s farm, handled his finances, oversaw renovations at his mansion, prepared campaign material and even spied on an ex-lover, often during work days.
Fumo argued that no Senate rules defined a work day as daytime hours. He repeated the central defense argument that his employees toiled day and night for the government — and did other work for him on their own time.
Maybe after Obama comes down from this “outrage” of AIG bonuses he can claen out the Democratic party. But he’s from Chicago – isn’t this kind of corruption just business as usual?
MORE: Michelle Malkin remembers “For decades, Fumo was one of Philly’s most powerful Democrats. And one of the craziest. I wrote about him in 2005 when he melted down during a legislative battle and screamed “faggot” at his political opponents. Good riddance:”
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One Response to “Democrat Culture Of Corruption #100: Penn Senator Vincent Fumo Convicted”
March 16th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Speaking of AIG, I certainly hope that President Obama instructs Tim Geithner to halt the next $180 million payment to the UAW pension fund coming from car companies that we sent taxpayer bailout money to.
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