Rendell: I’d appeal Fumo sentence, too

Gov. Rendell said today that even if former State Senator Vincent J. Fumo had received only a year in prison, it would have been a sufficient warning to any potentially corrupt politician.

He also said that as a former prosecutor, he would want to appeal the Fumo's 55-month sentence, calling it inconsistent with sentences in other recent public corruption cases.

The governor spoke a day after Fumo received a prison term that federal prosecutors said was far too short and didn't send "a strong enough message."

"If I were a public official, one year would be enough to deter me," Rendell said at a press conference.

Rendell, who has been both a political ally and foe of Fumo, said that while Fumo's conviction, "has cast a shadow of doubt on all of us. . .the other side of it is the guidelines call for assessing the good works a person does."

"Lets not talk about this like it a probationary sentence. It's still almost five years in jail for a man who s got a serious heart condition. If you are a politician, and you are thinking of doing something corrupt, a five year prison sentence is every bit as daunting as a 10 or 12 or 15 year sentence."

Prosecutors had urged U.S. District Judge Ronald L. Buckwalter to sentence Fumo to at least 15 years.

Rendell said he was sympathetic to the prosecutors' position. He served as Philadelphia's district attorney before becoming mayor and governor.

"It's obviously not as strong as the prosecution wished. It's not as strong as the guidelines. That's why an appeal may be appropriate," Rendell said. "If we asked the judge for 15 years. . .and the sentence came down close to five, and I had the right to appeal, I would appeal."

Rendell was at the Bristol Borough Junior-Senior High School in Bucks County to discuss the state budget and education funding.

Contact staff writer Max Stendahl at 610-313-8207