Congressman faces charges, 1st primary challenge in 20 years

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah hasn't had a primary fight for two decades, but he now has three opponents in his heavily Democratic Philadelphia-area district, and one potentially far more dangerous challenge: the federal racketeering and bribery charges hanging over him.

[...] even though the mayor and governor are backing one of his opponents, Fattah still has the support of other key players with the resources to get voters to the polls — including a number of local elected officials, a House colleague who is a major city power broker, black ward leaders and some labor unions.

First elected in 1994 at 37, Fattah has been a fixture as Pennsylvania's only black congressman from the state's only African American-majority district.

Last July, Fattah was charged in an 18-count indictment with using federal grants and charitable donations to repay a wealthy donor's illegal $1 million campaign loan.

The allegations have enveloped his family, including his wife, who left her job after being linked in the indictment to an alleged $18,000 sham sale of a Porsche that prosecutors called a bribe.

Fattah said he is innocent, and forcefully sought to raise doubts about the government's case and whether it will go to trial, even as he has struggled to pay lawyers.

[...] he has engaged in a robust campaign of taxpayer-funded constituent outreach that has also allowed him to keep his name before voters in the weeks heading into the election.