Philadelphia Democrats Defend Corrupt Politician at Sentencing

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

In advance of former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo's scheduled sentencing on Tuesday, a list of powerful and influential friends - including the governor, a congressman, and a former state Supreme Court chief justice - have written the judge seeking mercy for the disgraced former pol.

The letters from Fumo's pals say as much about the corrupt and contented culture of Philadelphia politics as they do about Fumo, who for decades held sway over politics in the city and Harrisburg, rewarding friends and punishing enemies.