An electronic listening device believed to have been planted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation was found Tuesday morning hidden in the ceiling of Philadelphia Mayor John Street's City Hall office.
Although The Associated Press reported that, according to three anonymous federal officials, the bug was planted by the FBI, Linda Vizi, a spokeswoman for the FBI, would not confirm whether or not the bureau was responsible.
When asked if Street is currently under investigation, Vizi said, "We don't confirm or deny investigations."
The discovery of the bugging device was followed yesterday by reports that the FBI conducted a number of raids throughout the city as part of an investigation into "corruption in city contracts," the Philadelphia Inquirer reported last night. The newspaper also reported that FBI agents searched the home of Iman Shamsud-din Ali, a friend of Street's.
Street re-election spokesman Frank Keel said that the mayor is "concerned about what exactly the FBI knows and is anxious for the FBI to be forthcoming with information."
"The mayor is deeply concerned that his privacy was violated," he added.
National news sources have reported that Street told Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell that he is not the "specific target" of an investigation.
The listening device was found Tuesday sometime after 7 a.m. during a security inspection of the mayor's office that Keel referred to as "routine standard operating procedure."
While as of yet there is no clear consensus as to why it was planted, officials on all sides have offered speculation.
Keel suggested that the device could be part of a "national Republican strategy to unseat Mayor Street."
"George Bush made it abundantly clear how important Philadelphia and Pennsylvania are for re-election," Keel said. "We are not pointing a finger of blame at [Republican challenger Sam] Katz, but question the timing of the discovery."
Some believe that the device being found inside Street's personal office suggests that he is the principal target of an investigation.
"It isn't like they chose to bug his deputy," said Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, a Fels Institute of Government lecturer and former Pennsylvania congresswoman. "Somebody chose to bug his office. They are clearly looking for some answers to some questions."
Political Science Professor Ian Lustick said he believes the FBI is behind the bugging.
"One would like to assume that they were planted in pursuit of a legitimate investigation, for example, of ticket fixing," Lustick said.
The incident comes less than a month before Street is to face off against Katz in the city's mayoral election in what is expected to be a fairly close race.
"We, the campaign, not speaking for the mayor, think that the timing of the discovery of this device is more than a little curious," Keel said. "That it happened within a week of a new poll that showed the mayor a full eight points ahead of Mr. Katz, that it came on the eve before the first debates, that it came a month before the first election."
Others echoed the possibility that the situation could potentially give Katz an advantage in the race.
"What is happening on his opponents' side, [is that it] is being given a lot of grist," Margolies-Mezvinsky said. "I think Katz is being given a bone here."
Katz's campaign has denied any connection to the situation.
"As far as the current investigation with the FBI involving itself and taking action, it would be premature and inappropriate to comment," campaign spokesman Nathan Raab said.
He added that "Sam has talked since the beginning about the corruption and the secrecy surrounding Street and his administration."
News of a possible investigation does not come as a shock to some Katz supporters at Penn.
"I mean, this isn't a surprise," College Republicans chairman and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist Dan Gomez said. "There are any number of things Mayor Street could be investigated for. The guy is a crook."
"I think that it's bad news for Philadelphia that we elected a mayor that we could even think would be investigated.... It really is a tragedy that we have a mayor that is a thug and a criminal," the College junior added.
Others said they sympathize with Street's current position.
"I just think it is so unfortunate for Street," Margolies-Mezvinsky said. "If the FBI comes out and says it was a bug not planted by Katz and that we cannot confirm or deny that it was planted by [the FBI, it] makes it seem like [Street] is under some kind of investigation. It might be something very minor, but somehow in the wake of all the press that surrounds these investigations, it sounds very ominous."
"This mystery is the worst thing that could happen to the candidates," College Democrats President and College junior Rich Eisenberg said. "I don't want to speculate if there is partisanship behind this."
