Fumo

Former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo was back at his Kentucky federal prison Friday after a visit to a nearby hospital to investigate three heart blockages discovered during a checkup. Doctors have recommended that Fumo, 69, have heart bypass surgery to deal with one, in which an artery is 95 percent closed. U.S. Rep. Bob Brady (D., Pa.) said he had talked to members of Fumo's family, who said they were trying to determine where to have the surgery. Fumo's family had hoped to have him treated at a hospital in Philadelphia, but that will be difficult because he is a federal prisoner.

When Alan and Sheila Hunter decided to move into an old convent in South Philadelphia, they saw beauty behind the asbestos that hung from the ceiling and the plywood that covered the walls. "We came into the chapel and my wife started to cry," Alan Hunter said in an interview. "You could feel the presence of the nuns who had lived here. " There was nothing holy about what happened after that. Then-State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo wanted the property for a charter school. He leaned hard on Hunter to sell.

I was disappointed by the Fumo sentencing. He plotted and manipulated "OPM" to live off the fat of the land. He used his position to live a life of comfort, lies and manipulations at everyone else's expense. This is a sham and disgrace. He was in a position to do good, but chose to do otherwise. I thought we were prosecuting Fumo for his crimes - so much for "justice. " Veronica Wojnar, Philadelphia

Philadelphia Sen. Vincent J. Fumo was expected to be released from a hospital here today after being admitted early yesterday for severe abdominal pains. Fumo was described by aides as "doing well. " A Polyclinic Medical Center spokesman said last night that Fumo was listed as "satisfactory. " Aides said the South Philadelphia Democrat rested yesterday, awaited medical test results, and did some work on the telephone. Several lawmakers who visited Fumo described his spirits as good.

Sen. Vincent J. Fumo (D., Phila.) said yesterday that he has accepted a $50,000 out-of-court settlement from a small newspaper in the Harrisburg area that called him "the unofficial representative of the Mafia" in the state Senate in an editorial published five years ago. Fumo at the time called the March 16, 1983, editorial by the Hummelstown Sun, a weekly with a circulation of about 7,000, an "outrageous ethnic slur. " Fumo issued a news release calling the settlement "a victory for responsible journalism everywhere.

State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo yesterday emphatically endorsed Bob Blasi of Roxborough in the Fourth Senate District Democratic primary. In so doing, Fumo vehemently denied that he would drop his support if Blasi's campaign did not pick up steam in the final days of the campaign. "It is an absolute lie that I have made a deal with any other candidate or am backing down from my full support of Bob Blasi for state Senate," said Fumo, who called a news conference to quash the rumors of a deal in the making.

State Sen. Vince Fumo yesterday lost his gubernatorial appointment to the Delaware River Port Authority, but it doesn't appear his seat will be getting cold. By the end of the day, Auditor Gen. Robert P. Casey Jr. had agreed to let Fumo, a Democrat, remain on the port's board as his representative. "The auditor general recognized Sen. Fumo's expertise in the economics of port development, and offered to let Vince take his position," said Fumo spokesman Gary Tuma. "Vince is happy about it. He no longer serves at the pleasure of the governor, and now he has more freedom to exercise his own ideas.

Far and away, the biggest PAC grabber in the Philadelphia delegation is Democratic Sen. Vincent Fumo. He got $157,582 from PACs, more money than 31 of the city's 33 legislative members who ran last year spent on their campaigns. Fumo also received the largest single PAC contribution of the delegation - $15,000 from Philadelphia Teamsters Local 115. Other Teamsters locals also gave to Fumo. All together, Teamsters gave Fumo $22,000. "He's not our boy, but he's our senator," said Teamsters chief John P. Morris.

There's no disputing that State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo has done a lot of good for Philadelphia during 30 years of public service. By his own estimate, Fumo has brought $8 billion to the city over the years. He was probably the most powerful legislator of his era. But in the end, unrivaled power was also his flaw. Fumo, who announced his retirement yesterday, didn't know how to limit his seemingly limitless reach. His arrogance and apparent greed brought about a federal corruption indictment that is forcing him from office.

A pair of fervent allies of former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo tangled bitterly with prosecutors yesterday as they defended their work with the powerful Democrat. One of Fumo's taxpayer-paid drivers - he had three - accused prosecutors of "disrespect" for interviewing him not long after his son had died of a brain aneurysm at age 26. And the director of a Fumo-backed nonprofit bristled when prosecutors said that a Fumo aide had deleted e-mails on her computer even after her records had been subpoenaed.

  Just as he starts his final year in prison, former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo is facing a new problem: an IRS demand that he pay almost $3 million in back taxes and fines. In an unusually tough move, the federal tax agency late last month filed liens citing five properties to protect its claim on the money. The IRS placed liens naming Fumo's 33-room Victorian mansion in Philadelphia's Spring Garden section, three adjoining properties he owns in South Philadelphia, and, significantly, a 99-acre farm near Harrisburg that Fumo sold for $10 to his fiancee two years ago. In a letter to Fumo, the agency said he appeared to be trying to hide his assets.

In its novel-like presentment alleging entrenched corruption at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, a grand jury unveiled a big cast of supporting characters - some prominent, others not. None of these players was named or charged. But from interviews and context clues in the report, some identities emerged. Among those cited in the report - at least 65 times - was "Senator #6. " That would be disgraced and imprisoned former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo. Fumo, serving time for his 2009 corruption conviction, is a spectre cited throughout the 85-page presentment as someone who had "tremendous influence" at the Turnpike Commission.

Convicted former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo must pay much more in restitution to one of his victims, a federal appeals panel ruled Monday. In another rebuke to U.S. District Judge Ronald L. Buckwalter, the panel said Buckwalter had imposed too light a burden on Fumo in resentencing him in 2011. The appeals court returned the case to Buckwalter to decide precisely how much Fumo should pay, but it strongly suggested he pay as much as an additional $800,000. Two years ago, Buckwalter ordered Fumo and a former aide convicted with him, Ruth Arnao, to split 50/50 about $1.6 million in restitution due a South Philadelphia civic-improvement organization.

As a Philadelphia Traffic Court judge, Fortunato "Fred" Perri Sr. cultivated a public image as a tough guy. His nickname was "the Terminator" - a reflection of his supposed willingness to jail bad drivers. But for a favored few, Perri couldn't have been friendlier. "When you call, I move, brother, believe me," he allegedly assured a Southwest Philadelphia businessman said to be in league with him in the fixing of tickets. "It will be all right. Don't worry about it," he reportedly told the same businessman on another occasion, assuring him that a ticket would be fixed as promised.

Former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo, 69, was recovering Thursday from bypass surgery in Kentucky, sources said. Fumo, who has been serving a five-year sentence in federal prison stemming from charges that he defrauded the Pennsylvania Senate and a nonprofit, is expected to leave the hospital and return to his Ashland, Ky., prison early next week. Doctors had discovered three blockages during an exam. Sources said the surgery went well. - Miriam Hill

As a judge in Philadelphia Traffic Court, Fortunato "Fred" Perri Sr. cultivated a public image as a tough guy. His nickname was "The Terminator" - a reflection of his supposed willingness to jail bad drivers. But for a favored few, Perri couldn't have been friendlier. "When you call, I move, brother, believe me," Perri allegedly assured a Southwest Philadelphia businessman said to be in league with him in the fixing of tickets. "It will be alright. Don't worry about it," he reportedly told the same businessman on another occasion, assuring him a ticket would be fixed, as promised.

Former Pennsylvania State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo was moved Wednesday from the Kentucky federal prison where he is serving a five-year sentence to a nearby hospital after doctors discovered three blockages during a heart checkup. Doctors have recommended that Fumo, 69, have heart bypass surgery to deal with one, in which an artery is 95 percent closed. Such a procedure would require him to be transferred to another federal prison near a hospital that is better equipped to perform the bypass, according to sources familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition that they not be identified.

Former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo was back at his Kentucky federal prison Friday after a visit to a nearby hospital to investigate three heart blockages discovered during a checkup. Doctors have recommended that Fumo, 69, have heart bypass surgery to deal with one, in which an artery is 95 percent closed. U.S. Rep. Bob Brady (D., Pa.) said he had talked to members of Fumo's family, who said they were trying to determine where to have the surgery. Fumo's family had hoped to have him treated at a hospital in Philadelphia, but that will be difficult because he is a federal prisoner.

Former Pennsylvania State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo was moved Wednesday from the Kentucky federal prison where he is serving a five-year sentence to a nearby hospital after doctors discovered three blockages during a heart checkup. Doctors have recommended that Fumo, 69, have heart bypass surgery to deal with one, in which an artery is 95 percent closed. Such a procedure would require him to be transferred to another federal prison near a hospital that is better equipped to perform the bypass, according to sources familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition that they not be identified.