Former Governor Ed Rendell Testifies At Chaka Fattah Jr. Fraud Trial
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- At his bank and tax fraud trial, Chaka Fattah Jr. opened his defense by calling a big name as his first witness. That, after the defendant cross-examined the lead investigator.
Former Governor Ed Rendell spent 7 minutes on the stand.
"I was called as a fact witness," Rendell said.
He told jurors that Chaka Fattah Jr. did work as a consultant, not a staffer, on his 2002 gubernatorial campaign.
"I don't know the relevance of the case, nor do I care to know the relevance of it. He worked for my campaign in 2002. We paid him $5000 for his work as a photographer."
Earlier, Fattah Jr, who is representing himself, cross-examined FBI agent Richard Haag, who disclosed for the first time a day earlier that he tipped off a reporter before the raids on the defendant's home and office.
However, Haag denied violating grand jury secrecy rules. He testified he did not share any grand jury material.
Outside the courthouse, as reporters looked at their notepads and asked Rendell to react to the revelations, Rendell shrugged, but before walking away, came up with one last quip.
"As Wilson Goode used to say, 'it boggles the entire mind.'"
