Convicted Congressman Fattah's statement on 'tough day'

Pennsylvania congressman Chaka Fattah says he will talk to his lawyers about his next steps following his conviction in a racketeering case.

Fattah was found guilty Tuesday of all charges against him, including racketeering, fraud and money laundering. His lawyers had argued that the schemes were engineered without Fattah's knowledge by two political consultants who pleaded guilty in the case.

Fattah told reporters outside the courtroom that Tuesday was a "tough day" for him.


Also, he can no longer vote in Congress.

He will remain free on bail. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 4.

Fattah did put out this statement: "This is an extraordinarily difficult day for me and my family. A jury has decided that based on the evidence presented to them that I am guilty of charges presented by the government. Today's decision notwithstanding, it has been my privilege to serve the constituents of the Second Congressional District for over 20 years. We have done important work and passed legislation that has helped tens of millions of young people achieve their dream of a college education, ensured that hundreds of thousands of families facing foreclosure have been able to remain in their homes, and millions suffering from brain related diseases now have hope that a cure or a treatment is closer today than yesterday. I continue to be proud of that record. While today's outcome isn't what we had hoped, I respect our nation's judicial system. I want to thank the people of the Second Congressional District for the honor of serving them."

FOX 29 News offers reaction from Jeff Cole, who was in the courtroom, and legal analyst Ken Rothweiler.