Democrat Party Consultant Tom Lindenfeld, consultant to D.C. mayors, implicated in Phila. corruption scheme

The Washington Post reports:

A federal corruption investigation surrounding a Philadelphia congressman has implicated a District-based political consultant who helped D.C. Council member Muriel Bowser secure the Democratic mayoral nomination in April, according to court documents.

Tom Lindenfeld, 59, is described in documents filed last week as allegedly participating in a conspiracy in 2007 to illegally funnel $1 million to the campaign coffers of Rep. Chaka Fattah (D). Lindenfeld was working as a consultant at the time for Fattah’s unsuccessful bid for Philadelphia mayor.

The news immediately prompted Bowser (D-Ward 4) to cut ties with Lindenfeld, even though he hadn’t been working closely with her campaign since she won the April primary.


Lindenfeld is a former partner of David Axelrod, President Obama’s political guru — and one of the few politicos in Washington who moved as easily in local circles as national ones. He also advised the successful D.C. mayoral campaigns of Anthony A. Williams and Adrian M. Fenty.

Lindenfeld is not named in the court documents, but two people with knowledge of the investigation confirmed that he is the individual described as allegedly accepting a $1 million loan from a businessman and using some of it to cover Fattah campaign ­expenses. The loan was later repaid in part with federal grant money intended for “underrepresented” groups.

No word yet from MSNBC on this study since they seem to think Rep. Chaka Fattah is the salt of the earth.