May 2016 trial date set for Fattah

A FEDERAL JUDGE yesterday scheduled U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah's corruption trial for May 2 of next year.

That's a week after the April 26 primary, in which Fattah is expected to face at least one challenger.

Dan Muroff, an East Mount Airy attorney and leader of the 9th Ward Democratic Committee, intends to run against Fattah.

In his order yesterday, U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III noted that the trial is expected to last six weeks. Fattah's four co-defendants also face trial that day.

Fattah, 58, a Democrat and 11-term congressman who represents parts of Philadelphia and Montgomery County, pleaded not guilty Tuesday before a magistrate to a slew of charges, including bribery, racketeering, conspiracy, money laundering and fraud.

He is accused of leading a criminal "enterprise" that, among other things, diverted public and charitable funds to repay the balance of a secret $1 million loan used in his unsuccessful 2007 mayoral bid.

Fattah's co-defendants are Herbert Vederman, 69, of Palm Beach, Fla., a lobbyist and former Philadelphia deputy mayor; Robert Brand, 70, of Philadelphia, a Fattah campaign contributor; Karen Nicholas, 57, of Williamstown, N.J., a former Fattah staffer; and Bonnie Bowser, 59, of Philadelphia, district chief of staff for Fattah and treasurer of his mayoral and congressional campaigns.

Nicholas and Brand also pleaded not guilty Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Rice. Bowser pleaded not guilty Monday before Rice.

Vederman appeared Aug. 5 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Rueter, and has since pleaded not guilty, as well.

Fattah's son, Chaka Fattah Jr., 32, faces a separate, but related trial on Oct. 15 on charges of bank fraud and filing false tax returns. He has also pleaded not guilty.

He is not a lawyer, but is representing himself. Lawyers with the Federal Community Defender Office have been appointed to act as his backup counsel.