The Democratic mayor of Erie (Rick Filippi) was charged today with three felonies and four or five other different misdemeanors by the PA Attorney General who's office got help from the FBI. Here's the link to an early story that doesn't list the actual charges (I'll add that later) but it gives the background...
"State filing charges against Erie mayor, two others"
ERIE, Pa. - Erie Mayor Rick Filippi and two business partners were being charged by a state grand jury with benefiting from the purchase of four properties near a former industrial site in the city, state prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Filippi had been under scrutiny for his involvement in negotiations to acquire the former International Paper Co. site in Erie and in land deals around the site involving his associates.
Charges also will be filed against attorneys Rolf Patberg, Filippi's law partner, and Eric Purchase, Filippi's longtime friend and former campaign manager, who also were involved in the deals, Attorney General Jerry Pappert said.
Filippi, mayor of the state's fourth largest city since 2001, was leading negotiations on behalf of the city with MTR Gaming Group Inc., the developer of a proposed $80 million horse racing and casino complex. At the same time, four neighboring properties were snapped up by Aiko Acquisition LLC....
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-12082004-413452.html:mad::mad::mad:
By the way, I hope I followed guidelines for how to post this message since it's my first thread and article post. If not, please accept my apologies and let me know what to do differently.