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Another Former Employee of Chaka Fattah Pleads Guilty to Corruption

By Tony Hanson

 

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- One day after being re-elected to another term in Congress,  US Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) has been again implicated in a public corruption case.

Although not specifically named, Fattah is linked to the ongoing federal investigation by two people who used to work for him.

Washington DC political consultant Thomas Lindenfeld pleaded guilty today and agreed to cooperate with authorities in the investigation of, among other things, an illegal $1-million political contribution to the 2007 mayoral campaign of a person identified as "Elected Official A."

According to authorities, that loan was later repaid with stolen charitable funds and federal grant money.

Earlier, another former political consultant, Gregory Naylor, pleaded guilty for his role in connection with two schemes, including that one.

Authorities have not identified "Elected Official A," but information in court documents -- including that those defrauded were the citizens of his "Second Congressional District" and other information from other sources clearly show that "Elected Official A" is Congressman Fattah.

Both Naylor and Lindenfeld have admitted they conspired with "Elected Official A" in the schemes.

After today's guilty plea from Lindenfield, Fattah issued the following statement:

"In light of today's news, it is disappointing that a second individual associated with me has pleaded guilty to wrongdoing.  I spent today thanking the citizens of my district for their vote of confidence.  Those citizens can be assured that as I previously stated, I have never been involved in any illegal conduct nor misappropriation of taxpayer funds."

The congressman has not been charged with any crimes at this point in the ongoing probe.

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KYW's Mike DeNardo contributed to this story.

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