Staff Blog
INTRODUCING: Fumogation, CP’s Vince Fumo Trial Blog
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City Paper staff writer Tom Namako has just launched Fumogation, a new blog dedicated to covering every aspect of State Senator Vincent Fumo's freshly minted federal corruption case.
Namako gives us the what's for after the jump. Bookmark citypaper.net/fumo and twitter.com/fumotrial to stay up on the latest.
Why start this blog? You just have it in for Fumo, don't you?
Plenty of other people already have it in for Fumo. They don't need me.
We're starting this blog because people's eyes roll over when they hear phrases like "wire fraud" and "obstruction of justice." I'd like to try to make this all more interesting than that, and help people understand the context (and occasional humor) around such a complex case like this.
Look, not to get all serious on Question 1, but Fumo is literally being charged with going on massive shopping sprees for his personal benefit (buying everything from his shampoo, to power tools, to souped-up cars, to massive renovations to his mansions, to the services of private investigators to spy on his ex-girlfriends) and then trying to cover them up, all the while spending what he allegedly called "other people's money" — those other people being taxpayers, you and I.
What's he being charged with again?
About 139 counts of all the stuff I mentioned above. You can see the text of the indictment (it's not really written in legal-speak, it actually has a kind of narrative arc to it) on the Fumogation blog sidebar.
What's your coverage going to be like? Will you reporting live from the courtroom?
Yes. I'll be Twittering breaking news and lighter moments from court. Like when the judge shoots down the fifth person who says he can't serve on the jury because he's inherently prejudiced against people with names that begin with the letter V, and besides, he's going on vacation next week anyway.
I'll also be posting daily features, like a roundup of coverage, and longer analysis pieces in the early morning/evening. And I'll also be out reporting in the first senatorial district, asking all the Italians (like my family) their thoughts about The Vince's current predicament.
What is the single-most important element of this trial? Is there one witness or one piece of evidence that you see making or breaking Vince's chances?
A lot will come down to Leonard Luchko, a computer tech who was named in the original indictment, plead guilty and will now testify for the prosecution as part of a deal. If he strongly comes out against Fumo in his testimony — if he essentially says that Fumo had first-hand knowledge of the wrongdoings alleged against him — that could really hurt the defense's case.
Verdict prediction?
Fumo has beaten two other federal indictments in his lifetime. I'd say God only knows, but I'm not even sure about that.
HE WON’T BEAT THIS ONE.
Fumo wants to blame everyone but himself. This is a complete joke! They continually push the blame on others….no accountability! A true waste of our money.
There is no doubt Fumo has made lots of friends in the press over the years, and that some of them may now be suffering from an latent aversion to vilifying somebody they like. Fumo’s Svengali like hold over many in the press is no where more apparent than in the comments, or lack thereof, coming from Zack Stahlberg.
“It is the most anticipated event of its kind that I can remember,” said Zack Stalberg, president of the Committee of Seventy, a government watchdog group in Philadelphia. “Vince has been such a large figure for so long a period of time that I think the whole region will be watching this one closely.”
That’s it? No moral indignation over the sleaze of Philadelphia politics that Fumo and his cronies have come to typify? This why Zack Stalberg is an embarrassment as head of the Committee of 70 Good Government Group.
Stalberg has yet to make a single negative comment in the press or on the Committee of 70 website condemning the culture of corruption Fumo and his cronies epitomize.
You get the feeling Fumo must have passed along lots juicy little tid bits of information to Stahlberg over the years when Stalberg was editor at the Daily News, and that now Stalberg does not want to comment on a person he has come to know and admire. That may be natural, but it is unacceptable for a guy in Stahlberg’s position.
That would be fine if Stalberg were just an ex-editor, but he’s not. He’s collecting $180,000 a year to a head a watch dog group. What good is having a watchdog if the damn dog just sits there and watches as the burglars come climbing through your window? Stahlberg seems more lap dog than watch dog in his comments.
Who cares if Fumo brought home $8 Billion in goodies to the city he represents? It’s our money!
How much of that did he route to his buddies, and his contributors?
Look at the DRPA’s $300 Million spending spree. There is nothing illegal about all Fumo’s buddies who got a piece of that pie, and other pies over the years, it is just disgustingly outrageous and typical of the good ol boy network Fumo and company exemplify.
Hey Zack, if you are not outraged by the money Fumo stole and manipulated, maybe it’s time you gave up your position and took over Gary Tuma’s job as Fumo’s press agent, or start work helping to raise money for his defense fund.
If we’re going to have somebody not willing to say a single negative thing about Fumo, we might as well just have Jim Kenney as the head of the Committee of 70, another ball-less wonder.
Fumo and his cronies are crooks, and manipulators who have abused their power to enrich themselves and their friends. If Zack Stahlberg finds anything admirable about the antics of this master manipulator he should give up the post to someone not so moonstruck.
To Vinnie Gambone- You seem to be criticizing Zack Stahlberg for upholding a cornerstone of the American justice system. Ever hear of ‘innocent until proven guilty’? While I don’t see ZS attacking Fumo as guilty (without the benefit of a trial) as you’re quick to point out, I also don’t see him unabashedly defending him and declaring his innocence.
Sounds to me that ZS is doing exactly what the leader of the Committee of 70 should be doing.
Well said, Charles.
Vince Fumo extorted, 17 million dollars from Peco, to drop his lawsuit on electric deregulation. Fumo claims he didn’t mind trimming fat of a big utility. As a Peco worker , who was layed off, I would like to remind Mr Fumo that the fat he trimed was thousands of Peco jobs. Jobs that were well paying and stimulated the Philadelphia region economy. Mr Fumo claims he never screwed any one over. Please!!!! Hopefully Mr Fumo gets his wish, with OPM(other peoples money) when he is sent to Lewisburg Federal Pen, on the taxpayers dime. Best of luck to you in your endevours, Vince.
GREAT name for this website. You MUST,MUST check out Vince’s friend Mitch Rubin on http://www.turnpikefacts.com. OPM at its finest. Vince who else are you going to blame for your charges??? Your sorry ass son started a blog? Where the hell has he been? Still worried about Y2K? You ruined people’s lives and now you are going to pay $3.5 Million plus the fines AND go to jail. The trial could be delayed a year and you are still going to jail and you will be broke. Then you can feel like the people whose lives you ruined. You took OPM and now will be in a DOC for a long time!
Hope Vinne gets the maximum federal sentence in Marion. He may like the company, plenty of sleeze to go around. Besides Vinnie still likes young male prostitutes, he may start a new business in prison. Email me I can send you the cigs and panty hose!
UR Old Pal
Bubba
I READ ABOUT THIS GUY 35 YEARS AGO, NOT SUPRISED,WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER ONES IN PA HOUSE AND SENATE, ILL BET THERE IS ALOT MORE OF THIS GOING. GIVE HIM A PLEA OF 1O FOR SOME MORE NAMES,THANK GOD FOR THE FBI. THERE IS ANOTHER NAME SHOUD BE LOOKED AT IN HARRISBURG; TRY DEWEESE HE SEEMS CUT OUT OF THE SAME ARROGANCE