Fumo retiring from Senate

By Eric Donovan
Senior Staff Writer
March 19, 2007

After many years of successful highs and scandalous lows, Vincent Fumo has decided to retire from his post as a Pennsylvania state senator. He would have been up for reelection against three others in the April Democratic primary, but after recent setbacks including a heart attack and legal trouble, it looks like Philadelphia has seen the end of Fumo’s career.

While many saw his recent heart attack as the catalyst for his decision, there were many factors leading up to his retirement, including a 139-count indictment stemming from suspicions of corruption within the city government, which he cites as the main reason for his departure from political life. His charges include fraud and an attempt to obstruct information from the FBI.

In 2004, PECO Energy donated $17 million to the Citizens Alliance for Better Neighborhoods, a charity run by Fumo. The large donation sparked the interest of many, and so Federal prosecutors began investigating as to whether Fumo had any hand in bribing the company for the donation. They also investigated as to whether Fumo was gaining any personal benefit from the charity’s funds.

A grand jury indicted Fumo Feb. 6, 2007 on 139 counts, which included the fraud charges as well as conspiracy, obstruction of justice and filing a false tax return, among others.

Fumo, it seems, may have always been destined for corruption. He actually entered into his position as state senator taking over the seat of Buddy Cianfrani in 1978, after Cianfrani was convicted on charges of racketeering, bribery and obstruction of justice. Although there have been negative developments in Fumo’s career, many see him as a great state senator who achieved much in his political career.

“Probably no living individual has had a more positive impact on the lives of our most vulnerable Philadelphians over the long course of time than Senator Fumo has,” Governor Ed Rendell said in a Philadelphia Inquirer article.

Among Fumo’s greatest achievements as senator was the Uniform Firearms Act of 1995. The bill received praise from gun control and gun rights activists as Fumo worked with both sides to create a compromise that worked for everyone. It was noted that the bill was backed by both the National Rifle Association and the Handgun Control, Inc., two of the largest organizations for gun rights and gun control, respectively.

“[Fumo] has fought in Harrisburg for things such as increased funding for schools, money for crime prevention, better services for disadvantaged children, a higher minimum wage for working people, state aid for cities, and help for small businesses,” according to Fumo’s official Web site biography.

Many news reporters and journalists have been singing their praises for him, but not for the reasons one would usually get praise for. Fumo was a news staple, providing reporters with juicy new stories for as long as he’s been in office. Now, as he departs, so do a wealth of potential news stories. For the Philadelphia press, it seems now is a mourning period of sorts. That of course, is until Fumo is back in the headlines at least one more time, when he has to face his 139-count indictment.

Fumo will leave his mark on the state and the city, regardless of what happens in the future. His contributions thus far have been significant, along with the setbacks. Through the charity he runs, he helped to clean up the streets and strengthen the neighborhoods. He was the go-to guy to get legislation passed. Despite the charges and allegations of corruption, Fumo remained in office as state senator. When the primary occurs in April, it will be notably missing this familiar name.

donovane1@lasalle.edu