FBI Raids Offices of Pa. Rep. Keller and Traffic Court Judge

KYW Newsradio Team Coverage --

The FBI this morning carried out simultaneous raids on the homes and offices of a Pennsylvania state representative and a Philadelphia Traffic Court judge, plus other locations.

KYW's Mike Dunn reports that according to a source, at least eight locations were raided:

• the South Philadelphia office of Pennsylvania state representative Bill Keller (right);
• a sporting goods store in South Philadelphia partly owned by Keller;
• the South Philadelphia home of Keller's secretary;
• two homes of a business partner of Keller, one in South Philadelphia and one in North Wildwood;
• the home office of public relations consultant Martin O'Rourke, who has in the past served as a spokesman for Keller;
• the home and office of Philadelphia Traffic Court judge Bobby Mulgrew, a former employee of Electricians' Union Local 98.

Federal agents carted out carloads of documents and computers from the various locations.

Local 98 is headed by powerful Philadelphia labor leader John Dougherty who defended the character of both Keller and Mulgrew:

"Bill Keller --in all my years in politics, I have never seen anyone as honest, as honorable and more concerned with creating jobs for people than him."

"Bobby Mulgrew -- Since he became the judge, he's still in involved in every activity in the neighborhhood, still coaches in the boy's club."

Dougherty said he was aware of the raids only through media accounts.

Our calls to O'Rourke and to the president judge of Traffic Court were not returned.

KYW's Paul Kurtz reports that federal agents carried out six boxes filled with items they seized from the raid on the South Philadelphia office of state representative William Keller.

At least a half-dozen agents spent more than two hours inside the office, on Second Street near Tasker, searching presumably for evidence in their investigation.

They piled the boxes into a couple of cars and took them away. There have been no arrests, and no comment from FBI agents at the scene of Keller's office, which is now closed.

KYW's Tony Romeo reports from Harrisburg that at a midday press conference, Governor Rendell said he was just hearing about the investigation of State Rep. Keller.  The governor called it "surprising news" but cautioned people not to jump to conclusions,  saying that there are many cases where material is taken by investigators with no prosecution to follow.

Edward J. McBride's name was originally included in this story by error.  KYW apologizes for any inconvenience.