The son of U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah wants to fight the wire fraud charges against him without the help of a lawyer.
Chaka Fattah Jr., 31, filed a motion in federal court last week to dump his court appointed attorneys and represent himself in his trial next year.
“I have the winning strategy,” Fattah Jr. said. “I want to take the fight to the feds. My life is on the line.”
Fattah Jr. was charged in August with stealing federal funds meant for city schools, fraudulently obtaining business loans and using the money on personal expenses, including gambling debts. He was indicted on more than two dozen counts.
Fattah Jr. pleaded not guilty and has maintained his innocence.
“I am not scared of the federal government,” he told NBC10 several weeks ago. “Should there be any doubt remaining, I am not afraid of the federal government.”
Fattah Jr. said the two-year investigation ruined his reputation and consulting career.
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"This entire situation is politically motivated," he said. "If my dad wasn't the congressman, nobody would be going after me."
Fattah Jr.’s father, 10-term Democratic U.S. Rep . Chaka Fattah, has also been the subject of a long-running federal investigation. In March, the elder Fattah said he would seek to quash a subpoena he received for documents from his congressional offices.
FBI Special Agent Richard J. Haag was involved of the issuance of that subpoena. Haag is also involved in the investigation of Fattah Jr. Officials have not revealed whether the investigations on the father and son are linked.
The indictment accuses the younger Fattah of lying about his income to obtain more than $200,000 in business loans.
“For better or for worse, you’re innocent until proven guilty in this country? Not really,” said former federal U.S. assistant prosecutor Jeff Lindy.
Lindy told NBC10 the U.S. Attorney’s office will most likely present hundreds of documents to the jury to prove their case.
“If a jury glazes over they’re going to give the benefit of a doubt to the prosecutor,” Lindy said. “They’re not going to give the benefit of a doubt to the defense and the defense attorney and the defendant. They never do.”
Fattah Jr. did not tell NBC10 why he chose to drop his attorneys. His hearing is scheduled for Dec. 12. During the hearing, a judge will decide if he can represent himself in his trial, scheduled for March 9.
Fattah Jr. is the stepson of NBC10 News anchor Renee Chenault Fattah.
