US Rep. Fattah: Consultants to blame for any financial crime

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lawyers for U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah blamed his former political consultants for any financial crimes that flowed from a costly, failed bid for Philadelphia mayor in opening statements at his corruption trial Monday.

Prosecutors told jurors that Fattah took an illegal $1 million loan to prop up the 2007 mayoral campaign and obtained federal funds and charity grants to pay $600,000 of it back.

The loss comes in a year that has seen his namesake son go to prison for five years in a related fraud case and his wife lose her TV anchor job after being linked to a bribery count in the indictment.

"The congressman stole from federal agencies, from taxpayers, from nonprofit groups he created to pay his political debts," Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Gray said in opening statements.

The seven-figure campaign loan, which exceeded new donor limits for the 2007 Philadelphia mayor's race, is one of five schemes outlined in the racketeering indictment.