Lawyer says there’s an explanation for Fattah Jr. payment

A spokesman for an attorney associated with the son of Congressman Chaka Fattah says there’s an explanation for a six-figure payment that may be the subject of an FBI investigation.

Wednesday morning, FBI agents visited the office of Chaka Fattah Jr. at the law firm of David Shulick, who heads a private high school that contracts with the school district to teach at-risk kids.

Jeff Jubelirer, a spokesman for Shulick, said in a telephone interview the FBI took documents and a computer.

Attention has focused on a $450,000 payment the school made to Fattah Jr.’s firm, about 10 percent of the school’s annual earnings from the school district.

Jubelirer said the district required a 10 percent payment to a minority partner, in this case Fattah Jr.’s firm. He says Fattah Jr. didn’t simply pocket the money.The “$450,000 was not a payment made to Chaka Fatta Jr.’s company, period,” Jubelirer said.”Those were monies that were paid but then, in turn, Fattah Jr. had to use to pay vendors at the school.”Federal authorities aren’t commenting on the case, and an attorney for Fattah Jr. didn’t return a call for comment.

His father, the Philadelphia congressman, said in a statement that he stands by his son, but that his office isn’t involved.