Chaka Fattah Resigns From Congress Effective Immediately
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- After his conviction this week in a wide ranging racketeering conspiracy scheme, Congressman Chaka Fattah has sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan announcing he's resigning immediately.
Congressman Fattah was under intense pressure to step away now, rather than his original thought of resigning the day before he's to be sentenced in October. He wrote to Speaker Ryan, "upon reflection, I hereby make my resignation effective immediately."
That, after Ryan pushed the issue, by saying Fattah "betrayed the trust" of the "institution and the people of Pennsylvania."
Ryan said in a statement "we must hold members to the highest ethical standard, and I hope that Democratic leaders will join me in seeking his immediate resignation."
Now, that has happened.
Fattah had earlier tendered the later resignation date to provide for an "orderly transition." But he wrote "out of respect for the entire House Leadership, and so as not to cause a distraction from the House's work," he changed his effective date.
The 11-term congressman lost April's Democratic primary to State Rep Dwight Evans, so his time in Washington was winding down anyway.
On Tuesday, a jury convicted Fattah on 22-counts, including racketeering conspiracy, bribery and money laundering charges.
It's now up to Governor Wolf on whether to call for a special election, which would cost an estimated $150,000 - to fill a spot for the remainder of the year, which includes only about 40-legislative days - when little work is expected to get done in this Presidential election cycle.
The election code states that the governor must call a special election within ten-days of the effective date of the resignation, and an election cannot be held before 60-days from the day the governor sets the date.
A spokesman for the Governor Wolf says "no final decision regarding a date has been made at this time."
