Rep. Chaka Fattah Speaks Out About FBI's Investigation Of Son's Finances
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - US congressman Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) is speaking publicly for the first time since last week's revelations that his son is the subject of an FBI investigation.
Federal authorities are said to be digging into Chaka Fattah Jr.'s finances.
Known as Chip, the 29-year-old Fattah ran a consulting company with business ties to center city Philadelphia lawyer David Shulick. Shulick is president of a for-profit education company that has received millions of dollars' worth of contracts from the Philadelphia School District.
The Inquirer reports that Chip Fattah received a $450,000 payment from Shulick's company. Reacting to the FBI raid on the younger Fattah's posh center city apartment and his office space at Shulick's law firm, Congressman Fattah says, "Sometimes a fire alarm goes off, but there is no fire."
"Normally, you have an allegation of wrongdoing, and then you have an investigation. What we have right now is an investigation. No one is aware of any allegations," he tells KYW Newsradio.
The elder Fattah now says "there's a lot of excitement" because his son "carries the Fattah name."
The FBI will not comment. Chip Fattah's lawyers have not returned our repeated calls to get their views. Shulick referred us to a public relations spokesman.
