Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH
share
email
print
font size
options
 
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
BREAKING NEWS: Council Staffer & Developers Indicted
Councilman Jack Kelly thanks supporters after a victory. His chief of staff Chris Wright cheers behind him. (Northeast Times)

City Councilman Jack Kelly's chief, Chris Wright, and three men involved in local land development were indicted this morning on federal corruption charges.  Federal investigators say Wright used his post to help real estate developers Ravinder and Hardeep Chawla and their attorney Andrew Teitelman.  Wright, the indictment said, received $16,000 in cash, gifts, a free apartment near Rittenhouse square and free legal services.

"According to this indictment, Wright was bought by the Chawlas so that he would serve their interests, and ultimately his own, instead of the public's," acting U.S. Attorney Lauri Magid said in a press release this morning.

Teitelman served as treasurer for "Friends of Jack Kelly," the councilman's re-election campaign committee, which was registered in an office where the Chawla brothers operated several of their real estate companies.  Teitelman also operated a law office from that location.

Wright, the Daily News reported in January, holds a state real estate commission sales license and had attempted to broker a deal for investors in "Philadelphia River City," a development proposed by Ravinder Chawla along JFK Boulevard near the Schuylkill River.

Teitelman has been representing the Chawlas in a separate investigation launched by the city Board of Ethics last year.  Three of their real estate partnerships donated a combined $30,000 to Kelly's campaign last year just before the primary election.  The city's campaign finance laws limit contributions to $2,500 from individuals and $10,000 from partnerships.

Posted by Chris Brennan @ 12:23 PM  Permalink | 4 comments
Comments   
Posted 12:56 PM, 08/05/2008
Down in the Basement
Did Jack Kelly win his election honestly? I understand a lot of fraud occurred during the campaign...
Posted 12:58 PM, 08/05/2008
mikedee
ahhh philadelphia. fire every elected official and just start over. seriously.
Comment removed.
Comment removed.
4 comments
About Chris Brennan and Catherine Lucey
PhillyClout
Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns.

Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002. Since then she has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. For the past two years, she covered the 2007 mayoral election. Now that the battle is over, she has moved down to the City Hall bureau where she will report on the Nutter administration.

Share your tips

Catherine Lucey
luceyc@phillynews.com 		Chris Brennan
brennac@phillynews.com
Advertise Here