http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/fattah-resigns-effective-immediately-224731Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah resigns effective immediately
By John Bresnahan
06/23/16 01:09 PM EDT
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Convicted Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) resigned effective immediately on Thursday, reversing his stated desire to remain in Congress until early October, when he is scheduled to be sentenced.
Members on both sides of the aisle had warned they would move to expel Fattah from the House if he didn't change his position. His decision spares them from having to remove him from office.
The Pennsylvania lawmaker, first elected in 1994, was convicted this week on an array of federal corruption charges, including bribery, racketeering, money laundering, bank fraud, mail and wire fraud, and filing false statements. Fattah engaged in a years-long criminal scheme that even included lobbying President Barack Obama for an appointment for one of his co-conspirators. Fattah was found guilty on all charges, as were four co-defendants.
Fattah’s son, Chaka Fattah Jr., is already in prison on bank and tax fraud charges. He is serving a five-year sentence
"Upon reflection, I hereby make official my resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives effective immediately," Fattah said in a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Thursday.
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