Philly: The Federal Probe: A City Under Stress

[goobergunch]

By Oliver Prichard, Chris Gray and Anthony R. Wood
Inquirer Staff Writers

Besieged by a federal probe that has now extended to his family's finances, Mayor Street and his supporters went on the attack at a series of rallies yesterday, denouncing the FBI investigation of city contracts as suspicious and racially motivated.

Street refused to specifically address an Inquirer report that federal authorities subpoenaed financial records of Street, his wife, Naomi Post, and his son, Sharif Street. He said he believed leaks in the investigation were "calculated to create headlines."

"I don't like any of this," Street said, "and I have said from the very beginning that I believe the timing of all this is very suspicious."

Meanwhile, Ronald A. White, a longtime Street ally who has done extensive legal work for the city, made his first public statements since FBI agents raided his Walnut Street office Thursday.

more...http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/7049687.htm

However, this is actually helping him in the polls.

[Old and In the Way]

1. Pennsylvannia is key to the Republican electoral strategy.

I have no idea what the specific's of Street's case is, but I do know that DOJ is not above using the resources of our federal government to further the Republican agenda (see Matha Stewart and not see Ken Lay).

[jiacinto]

2. Street is in trouble

I do think he may eke out a win. However, given the controvery surrounding him, it wouldn't surprise me if he actually has done something illegal.

[goobergunch]

3. It wouldn't suprise me either

However, this is actually helping his standing in the African-American community.

A Temple University/CBS3/KYW-3 poll released last week found that, in part, the initial fallout from the FBI investigation helped Street. His support among African American voters increased 14 percentage points, for instance, and one in four black voters said that the probe made them "more likely" to vote for Street.

Overall, Street led 48 percent to 41 percent, a reversal of the same poll's findings last month.

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/7046782.htm

[jiacinto]

4. All I am saying is that Street has a murky history as mayor

and he is hardly a "model of integrity". I do think he will probably eke out a win agaist Katz if nothing really damaging comes out.