Pa. senator says he'll be indicted

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - One of Pennsylvania's most powerful politicians announced on the state Senate floor Monday that he expects to be indicted soon in an extortion case and that he was temporarily giving up a key committee post.

Sen. Vincent J. Fumo, a Philadelphia Democrat, said he would likely be charged this week with using a neighborhood nonprofit group for his own personal and political gain.

"I know in my heart that I have not done anything illegal," said Fumo, 63.

A federal grand jury has been investigating whether Fumo extorted tens of millions of dollars in corporate donations for the Citizens' Alliance for Better Neighborhoods. Two of his former Senate staffers are scheduled to stand trial on obstruction charges May 21 on suspicion of deleting e-mail about Fumo's ties to the charity from office and other computers.

Fumo would have been required to give up his leadership post as soon as he was indicted. He portrayed his resignation as minority party chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee as a temporary measure "until I am vindicated."

Fumo charged that the investigation "has been marked by threats, intimidations and frequent leaks to the media intended to embarrass me" and vowed to fight the allegations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Zauzmer declined to comment on Fumo's remarks.

The Citizens' Alliance for Better Neighborhoods is run by Fumo's aides and does economic development and beautification projects in his district.

Peco Energy Co. gave the nonprofit group $17 million as it sought to win state deregulation of the electricity markets. Fumo initially opposed the effort but later threw his support behind the utility.

A lawyer, Fumo is an architect of the 2004 law that legalized slot-machine gambling in the state.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070205/ap_on_re_us/pennsylvania_investigation_senator [link]