The Summer Pennsylvanian
The May 9 convictions of former Philadelphia City Treasurer Corey Kemp and two Commerce Bank executives on corruption charges bring some closure to a case that has commanded public attention for over a year and a half and brought intense scrutiny upon the office of the mayor.
The investigation into corruption in City Hall first entered the public eye in October 2003, when an FBI bug was discovered in the office of Mayor John Street.
As the device was found just weeks before the 2003 mayoral election that pitted Street against Republican challenger Sam Katz, some viewed it as a federal attempt to influence city politics. However, Street defeated Katz by a comfortable margin, 58 percent to 41 percent.
This led to suggestions that the federal probe had, in fact, boosted Street's popularity as Philadelphians rushed to support their embattled mayor.
The FBI later revealed that it had planted the bug to determine whether Street was giving area lawyer Ronald White city contracts in exchange for campaign contributions.
While no charges were ever filed against Street, the ongoing investigation resulted in a flurry of bad press for the mayor and the city. In its April 25 issue this year, Time magazine named Street one of the worst mayors in the country, almost solely due to the so-called "pay-to-play" scandal.
In a column on April 19, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Tom Ferrick said that while the scandal "will be an integral part of Street's legacy," the mayor deserves commendation for his focus on the city's schools and neighborhoods.
Among 26 other charges, Kemp was convicted of conspiracy for accepting gifts from people looking to secure contracts with the city, most notably White, who died in November at age 55 while awaiting trial.
A central figure in the federal probe since officials raided his office shortly after the bug was found City Hall, White maintained his innocence until his death. A graduate of Penn's Law School, White was a North Philadelphia gang leader as a teen but rose to become one of the city's most influential lawyers.
Kemp was acquitted on 13 other counts. The jury failed to reach a verdict on five.
The former treasurer is now likely to face at least two years in prison and possibly more, according to the Inquirer.
Prosecutors in the case said that Kemp had received tickets to the 2003 Super Bowl, a deck for his house and $10,000, along with free parties and food.
Commerce Bank executives Stephen Umbrell and Glenn Holck were accused of using their positions to effectively bribe Kemp. They, too, were convicted of conspiracy.
Prosecutors won lesser convictions for perjury and lying to the FBI against Detroit businessman La-Van Hawkins and White's former mistress Janice Knight, respectively.
