?Tuesday, March 24, 2009 Volume 125, No. 38 Price 75¢ Across America Commentary Op-Ed Business Health

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No One Spared

Following guilty verdict for Fumo, it?s been made clear political corruption is being watched

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3-A 10-A 11-A 1-2B 3-4B The Philadelphia Tribune, a reflection of you. The Philadelphia Tribune Larry Miller Tribune Staff Writer The trial of Vincent Fumo ended in a guilty verdict, making the former state senator just the latest public figure hauled into federal court to face accusations of public corruption and other allegations. Fumo, 65, was found guilty on 137 counts of obstruction of justice, conspiring to defraud the Pennsylvania Senate, the Citizen?s Alliance for Better Neighborhoods and the Independence Seaport Museum out of at least $3 million. He was also found guilty of obstruction of justice. Co-defendant Ruth Arnao was found guilty on 45 counts. But Fumo, who has beaten criminal charges twice in the past, is just the latest public figure successfully prosecuted by federal attorneys. That list of local city officials, prominent business people and two members of the clergy continues to grow as federal agents follow through on what often are very complicated and lengthy investigations. Fumo has been scheduled for sentencing on July 13 and follows the recent convictions of former Philadelphia City Treasurer Corey Kemp, Milton Street and City Councilman Rick Mariano. Federal authorities have also been successful with the prosecutions of Councilman Jack Kelly?s chief of staff Christopher Wright, Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller?s chief of staff Stephen Vaughn and Christian minister Frank McCracken and Muslim cleric Imam Shamsud-din Ali. ?Vincent Fumo, a once powerful politician, will now face the consequences of spending other people?s money, taxpayers? money, our money, to provide himself with the extraordinarily lavish lifestyle that he felt he was entitled to. This is not, however, a time for rejoicing. It should be a time for reflection, by those who have pledged to serve us,? said Acting U.S. Attorney Laurie Magid after the Fumo verdict. ?Public officials must remember that public service is a privilege and an honor, not an opportunity for personal bias and gain. Public officials must remember the arrogant rationalizations that juries in this case and others have emphatically rejected.? In 2004, federal authorities indicted a prominent attorney and personal friend of former Mayor John Street, Ronald White in a pay-to-play scandal. Along with White, the feds also indicted City Treasurer Corey Kemp, former Commerce Bank executives Glenn G. Holck and Stephen M. Umbrell, Detroit businessman La-Van Hawkins and businesswoman Janice R. Knight. The co-defendants faced a lengthy list of charges including honest services fraud, perjury, conspiracy, wire fraud, filing false income tax statements and money laundering and extortion. White died from pancreatic cancer on Nov. 4, 2004 at, age 55 before the case went to trial.

Suspect shot during stop

Tribune Staff Report Sports Entertainment Lifestyles Classifieds Obituaries Fumo ? Page 5A What started as a routine traffic stop almost turned deadly when a suspect allegedly tried to fire a fully loaded .38 caliber pistol at a Philadelphia highway patrol officer. The highway patrol officer shot and critically injured the suspect who allegedly pulled out a loaded gun during the traffic stop Saturday night just after 10 p.m. 5-6B 7-8B 9-B 10-B 12-B The incident happened just a few hours after three Oakland, Calif., police officers were allegedly slain by a violent repeat offender, also during what started as a routine traffic stop. ?The incident occurred about 10:10 p.m. at the intersection of 61st and Chestnut streets, in West Philadelphia,? said Lt. Frank Vanore. ?Two NEWS

Oakland Police Department Stunned by Loss

3 officers and the suspect are dead; a fourth officer is brain dead. 2A Eric Mayes Tribune Staff Writer Budget hearings start this week as City Council begins to thumb through and take testimony on the impact of the $3.8 billion spending plan presented last week by Mayor Michael Nutter. Hearings would run for more than a month as council is scheduled to take and investigate almost every aspect of the plan that includes two temporary tax increases. The full schedule of hearings would open at 10 a.m. BUSINESS

Effective Public Relations on a Budget

Karen Taylor Bass puts years of experience into a book for businesses. 1B Corey Kemp Rick Mariano Milton Street

Group to thoroughly investigate tax plan

Wednesday and is scheduled to wind up at 7 p.m., May 12. Hearings have been broken into several broad topics that include: the five-year plan; capital budget; operating budget; tax adjustments; and school district reauthorization. This year?s hearings are expected to be stormy as council weighs a tax increase that SPORTS

Imhotep Charter Takes State Title

Double overtime win over Pittsburgh?s North Catholic cements a perfect season. 5B would raise property taxes by 19 percent next year and boost the city?s sales tax to 8 percent. Both taxes would sunset, still opposition is likely to be fierce. Already resistance to the plan has begun to emerge. ?I think the main message that we?re going to be sending to council is whatever taxes you raise do it in a progressive FORECAST Today Sunny high: 50º low: 29º Tomorrow Mostly Sunny high: 54º low: 40º Thursday Showers high: 57º low: 45º

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President Barack Obama, flanked by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, left, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Monday in the Roosevelt Room of the White House . ? AP PHOTO/GERALD HERBERT

Treasury, investors to buy up bad assets

Proposal could take $1T off banks? books

Martin Crutsinger WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration launched a new effort Monday to end a paralysis in lending, saying it will team with investors to initially buy up to a trillion dollars of bad assets from banks that have been reluctant to make loans to consumers and companies. In announcing the program, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner pleaded for patience, saying that work to rehabilitate an industry with such systemic problems must go forward despite ?deep anger and outrage? over executive bonus payments. Geithner?s performance in President Barack Obama?s Cabinet has come under heavy criticism from some in Congress. The secretary announced the initiative in a Treasury Department room with no cameras allowed. He was with Obama later in the morning, however, when the president spoke briefly, saying he was ?very confident? the latest plan will succeed. Obama called it ?one more critical element? in a multipronged effort to revive the economy and said the depressed housing market is beginning to show glimmers of hope. Former state Sen. Vincent Fumo, 65, was found guilty on 137 counts of obstruc- Geithner said the new program will initially seek to tion of justice, conspiring to defraud the Pennsylvania Senate, the Citizen?s harness government and private resources to pur- Alliance for Better Neighborhoods and the Independence Seaport Museum out of chase a half-trillion dollars of bad assets off the balat least $3 million. He was also found guilty of obstruction of justice. ? TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO Obama ? Page 8A

Council to begin budget hearings

way,? said Eric Braxton, a spokesman for the Coalition for Essential Services, a conglomerate of related groups advocating for residents. ?The way that (Nutter is) balancing the budget is through taxes that are really going to hurt poor and working Philadelphians. The mayor is calling this ?the people?s budget? but we see it as a budget that is hurting the people of this city.? Braxton did laud Nutter for saving services, but said the coalition supported a different Homicide ? Page 4A Council ? Page 6A COMING FRIDAY Plan your weekend with Entertainment NOW!

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