A city councilman on the verge of indictment caused a slew of emergency vehicles and civic leaders to rush to City Hall yesterday evening after he climbed to the base of the William Penn statue that crowns the building 500 feet above the ground.
Rick Mariano, a city councilman whose indictment on federal corruption charges became increasingly certain yesterday, was talked into coming down from the glass-enclosed observatory tower by Mayor John Street and City Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson.
Mariano is expected to be indicted sometime within the next week on charges that several companies in his district paid his credit card bills to the tune of thousands of dollars.
He left the building walking arm in arm with U.S. Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.) at about 6:45 p.m. and voluntarily spent the night at Pennsylvania Hospital, located at 800 Spruce St.
His spokesman -- Frank Keel -- said that the pressure from the investigation has weighed heavily on the councilman.
"Given media reports that an indictment is imminent, it has definitely taken its toll [on Mariano]," Keel said. "Maybe more than any of us can imagine."
Keel could not say whether Mariano was suicidal.
"We are not sure if he was just morose," Keel said. "Anyone who saw him in council session today would say he was upbeat, he was defiant. That is why this comes as such a shock."
Street said later last night that Mariano did not intend to commit suicide.
City Councilman Michael Nutter said that he ran to City Hall immediately after he became aware of the situation.
"As soon as any members heard, you immediately rush to the scene," Nutter said. "Your first thought is, 'Maybe he needs someone to talk to.'"
He added that the profession of councilman is "pressure-filled" and that therefore a strong bond exists between council members, regardless of political affiliations. Both men are Democrats.
In addition to the congregation of city politicians, a number of policemen swarmed the building and the surrounding areas.
Mariano has been involved in a formal investigation since July.
