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Congressman Fattah Grants Interview A Week After Aide Pleads Guilty

By Pat Loeb

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia Congressman Chaka Fattah is finally granting interviews, again, after last week's guilty plea by a long-time aide to charges he helped cover up campaign fraud for an unnamed elected official.

"I'm not responding to specific things," Congressman Fattah said.

Congressman Fattah was uncharacteristically quiet for several days after his former chief of staff Greg Naylor pleaded guilty to taking part in a scheme to divert federal funds to campaign debt, and campaign funds to student loan debt, during the 2007 Philadelphia mayoral race, when Naylor worked for Fattah.

But he says he's ready to make one thing clear.

"My position is that I've never been involved in illegal activity," Fattah said.

Fattah also says he intends to continue to run for an 11th term in the November election, despite speculation about who might replace him if he should step aside. He says he won't.

"We just have to move on and keep doing our work," Fattah said.

Hear more of Pat Loeb's interview with Congressman Fattah in the podcast:

Congressman Chaka Fattah

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