Fumo Needs New Lawyer, Back Surgery

A judge ruled today embattled state senator Vince Fumo could find a new lawyer after he decided he didn’t want Richard Sprague representing him anymore.

This move was a bit odd, since Fumo and Sprague spent the summer attempting to keep Sprague on the case when prosecutors attempting to DQ the lawyer to the rich and indicted because he wanted to fight under rules endorsed by the Marquess of Queensberry in the 1860s.

Fumo said he wants 60 days to find a new lawyer, so he can delay the trial until after the Democratic primary have him review the case thoroughly. Oh, Fumo’s also having back surgery because he threw it out chasing after the city’s hot anchorbabes or something.

Judge OKs Fumo-Sprague split [Inquirer]

Richard Sprague Dry Cleaners, Open For Business

Lawyer to the rich and indicted Richard Sprague is representing aspiring alpaca farmer/State Sen.Vince Fumo in his upcoming trial for allegedly defrauding several organizations.

But Sprague, who pledged to fight under Queensbury rules in the trial, also represented several of the organizations Fumo is alleged to have defrauded — Citizens Alliance, the State Senate and the Independence Seaport Museum — in addition to Fumo. In a motion, the prosecution alleged a “jury may readily conclude that Fumo placed his chosen attorneys… to assure the entities that Fumo’s conduct was blameless, at the same time that criminal activity actually continued.”

The prosecution sent a private message to the defense, saying it wouldn’t make the charges public if Sprague dropped out. The defense sent back (literally) a “fuck you.”

These, though, are by far the best details in the Inquirer article:

Once a week, Fumo had dispatched aides to Sprague’s home in Haverford to have his shirts laundered. Sprague, a longtime Fumo friend, has said publicly that the senator did this because he liked the way the lawyer’s aides handled his clothes. ¶ According to grand jury testimony, Fumo also had his Senate staff call a hotel in London where Sprague was staying to help the lawyer configure his computer in July 2000.

U.S. says Fumo lawyers’ loyalties may be torn [Inquirer]

Casino Activists, Casinos To Fight Under Queensbury Rules

Lawyers from Philadelphia casino bid winner SugarHouse have filed suit against the petitions essentially banning casinos from the city, citing “widespread and pervasive fraud” in the petitions.

Pennsport and Fishtown residents worked together earlier this year to get 27,000-plus signatures on a petition for a ballot question to be voted on while citizens choose their next mayor on May 15. Although they only needed 20,000 signatures to get the question before City Council — who must pass it by majority vote to put it on the ballot — lawyers for SugarHouse (who chatted with Foxwoods lawyers, too) say only 25 percent of them can be validated, leaving them far short of the 20k total.

While in the Inquirer yesterday noted bisexual/Philly for Change founder Anne Dicker said, “I don’t think a grassroots group should have to face this onslaught by corporations,” Casino-Free Philadelphia organizer Daniel Hunter has taken on a more chipper tone: “Some people have said this [referendum] won’t stand up in court or that the state will merely come in and take over. The ferocity with which they’re attacking us is a sign that this is a real threat to them.”

Okay, so, as expected, the signatures will be battled in court, probably one-by-one and blah blah blah. So where does this take its usual ridiculous Philly twist? Oh, right here: One of SugarHouse’s lawyers is also an investor in the casino. And he’s, of course, Vince Fumo lawyer and Queensbury rules boxer Richard Sprague.

Casino alleges foes’ petitions are fraudulent [Inquirer]
Casino foes smell fear [Metro]
Feb. 9: Richard Sprague To Defend Fumo, Gentleman Jim Corbett

Richard Sprague To Defend Fumo, Gentleman Jim Corbett

Lawyer to the rich and indicted Richard Sprague defended Vince Fumo on the 139 various counts he was charged with, yesterday. I was kind of hoping Sprague would have Fumo get up there and read the “Honest Graft” speech and then walk out knocking reporters aside with sweeping arm gestures.

Unfortunately, Sprague didn’t even let Fumo talk. But he did give a fun, 75-minute press conference of his own. Among the highlights:

• Quoth Sprague: “Ask yourself: What is to prevent someone who is devoted, dedicated to their boss, Vince Fumo, to knock themselves out and, beyond their Senate time, do activities that make his time more efficient and make him more effective as a state senator?”
• Quoth him again: “How do you make headlines as a prosecutor? I know all the tricks of the trade… . When you have a weak case, throw in the kitchen sink. Throw everything you possibly can in the indictment. Maybe something will stick.” Later, Sprague compared the indictment for the Unabomber (8 pages) with that of Fumo (272 pages).
• And once more: “Hopefully, they are… using the FBI to get Osama bin Laden and not Vince Fumo, but what I am saying is that they, from on high, do have a policy of using local U.S. attorneys to try to get effective Democrats.” Vince Fumo, State Senator from Pennsylvania, thorn in the side of the national GOP.
• Sprague said he intended to fight this charge using Queensbury rules. To those of you who aren’t 81-year-olds, Queensbury rules are old-timey boxing rules originally published in 1867.

Sprague accuses U.S. of ‘malice’ [Daily News]
Fumo’s lawyer: Charges political [Inquirer]
Fumo defense: Blame Bush [Metro]