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Fbi bug in philly mayors office Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://wvgazette.com/section/APNews/News/ap0821nhttp://wvgazette.com/section/APNews/News/ap0821n
Bug in Philly mayor's office is just one of several investigations in the city
By DAVID B. CARUSO
Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Mayor John F. Street tried to get his re-election campaign back on track Thursday after FBI bugging devices were discovered in his office, insisting that he has done nothing wrong and that prosecutors have assured him he is not the target of an investigation.
He and other politicians called on the FBI to say who is being investigated -- something the bureau refused to do for the third straight day.
"I just can't entertain a never-ending series of questions about this,'' Street said, urging the FBI to "lift the clouds'' over City Hall.
Street's Republican rival, Sam Katz, denied having anything to do with the eavesdropping equipment. The bitter rematch between the two has been marked by charges of intimidation and race-baiting.
The devices were found Tuesday by police conducting a routine sweep of Street's City Hall office suite.
Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson said Thursday that FBI agents confiscated Street's personal BlackBerry wireless e-mail unit shortly after the devices were found.
Johnson said an FBI agent, called in to investigate the discovery of the bugs, asked the mayor to turn over the BlackBerry on Tuesday. The mayor then gave the device to the police chief, who gave it to the FBI, Johnson said.
"They asked for the mayor's BlackBerry. There was no warrant at that time. And the mayor says fine, 'I'll give it to the commissioner.' And he gave it to me,'' Johnson said.
The mayor said he asked Johnson about the device -- one of three he owns -- some 15 hours later.
"I said, 'What happened to the BlackBerry?' He said, 'I gave it to them. You'll get it back in a couple days.' I said, 'No problem,''' Street said at a news conference following a Thursday night debate with Katz. "I still don't know why anybody is interested in it.''
Three federal law enforcement officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, have acknowledged that the FBI was responsible for the bugs, but refused to provide any details about the nature of the probe.
However, federal officials are known to be investigating the city's dealings with private companies.
One day after the devices were discovered, the FBI raided the Philadelphia headquarters of a business affiliated with one of the city's influential Muslim leaders, Shamsud-din Ali. The business was awarded a no-bid contract in 2002 to collect $605,990 in delinquent city real-estate taxes.
And in June, the city was asked to turn over information on its relationship with Philadelphia Airport Services, which had a $13.6 million maintenance contract at the Philadelphia airport. Earlier this year, the company made plans to subcontract $1.2 million of the work to a business founded by Street's brother, but the mayor quashed the deal after critics said it smacked of nepotism.
City officials also have confirmed that the FBI is investigating allegations that the city department that handles appeals of parking citations had fixed some tickets in exchange for bribes.
Street campaign advisers have accused the Bush administration Justice Department of planting the bug, or at least refusing to release information about it, as part of a calculated plan to embarrass the Democratic mayor weeks before the Nov. 4 election.
During Thursday's debate, Street said blacks are suspicious that the secret listening devices are somehow related to his re-election campaign. He also said he had reason to believe the bugs "were fairly recently placed.'' He didn't explain how he knew that.
Katz, who narrowly lost to Street in 1999, rejected those allegations, as has U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan, who is a Republican. Katz suggested Thursday that Street knew more about the bugging than he let on.
"It seems to me from the reports that I've read and heard, that federal authorities have shared information with the mayor. John should tell us all what he and his advisers were told by the U.S. Attorney,'' Katz said.
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On the Net: http://www.phila.gov/mayorð
AP-ES-10-09-03 2142EDT
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