PHILLY CLOUT: Yes, we know this is a time of year for lists, but at least we’re pretty sure you won’t see this one anywhere else. This is the one and only PhillyClout Top 10 Local Political Stories of the Decade. Our thanks to Dave Davies, Bob Warner and John Baer for their help. Happy reading.
1) Fumo goes down – This is the biggie. Longtime state Sen. Vince Fumo, viewed as the most powerful politician in the city, is convicted on 137 of 137 corruption counts. He ended the decade in prison.
2) Bug found in Mayor John Street’s office – The story that set the 2003 mayoral election on fire. A federal bug was found in Street’s office, and Democratic pols so effectively painted the corruption probe as a Republican witch hunt that a competitive race turned into an easy win for Street. Democratic chairman U.S. Rep. Bob Brady later admitted to Philadelphia Magazine he was “just spinning the s—.”
3) Nutter wins 2007 mayoral election – When he quit his job as City Councilman, most political insiders said he was crazy. But slow and steady, Nutter kept his head down, raised a substantial campaign chest, talked good government and sailed past two Congressmen, a state representative and a millionaire to win the Democratic primary race. He later cake-walked through the general election. MORE
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