Pat Meehan

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Pat Meehan

Pat Meehan, U.S. Attorney Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Occupation Federal prosecutor, United States Department of Justice

Pat Meehan is the current United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Since September 17, 2001 he has served as the federal prosecutor responsible for the city of Philadelphia and its eight surrounding counties. While U.S. Attorney, his office has prosecuted numerous corrupt Philadelphia city-employees, including former Philadelphia city treasurer Corey Kemp and former city councilman Rick Mariano. Currently, powerful state senator Vincent Fumo is on trial for fraud and conspiracy charges. Meehan and his office are nationally recognized for their work on terrorism, gang prevention, protecting seniors and children, and public corruption. A former Delaware County District Attorney, Meehan has also been listed as a potential Republican candidate for Governor in 2010.

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[edit] Biography

Born and raised in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania by his parents Leo and Julia, Pat Meehan attended Bowdoin College in Maine and graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor’s of Arts (B.A.). While at Bowdoin, he was a standout hockey player and went on to spend two years in the National Hockey League (NHL) as an official (though he only worked preseason games). Meehan attended Temple Law School in Philadelphia, and graduated with his Juris Doctorate (J.D.) in 1986 and then went to work as an associate at the law firm Dilworth-Paxson. Meehan, his wife Carolyn and their three sons live in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania[1].

Meehan’s career in public service and politics began in 1979 with the Philadelphia mayoral race working for Republican candidate David Marston. A year later he worked on Roy Zimmerman’s campaign for Pennsylvania Attorney General. Pat Meehan went on to serve as Special Counsel to Senator Arlen Specter, and later as campaign manager for Senator Rick Santorum, Philadelphia District Attorney Ronald D. Castille, and state Attorney General Ernie Preate [2].

In 1995 he was elected the District Attorney (D.A.) of Delaware County as a Republican. While Delaware County D.A. he prosecuted several high profile cases including the Du Pont Murder Trial, (a case involving the murder of Olympic wrestler David Schultz by his millionaire benefactor John Eleuthère du Pont) and the 1996 murder of a 22 year-old college student named Aimee Willard (who was abducted from Route 476 and found in an abandoned lot in North Philadelphia).[3]

While serving as D.A., Meehan set up the Special Victims Unit for Domestic Violence in Delaware County, allowing prosecutions to place without the victims having to testify in open-court and offering protection from the abusers. As D.A. he also focused on protecting youth by expanding the Youth Aid Panel program for first time offenders and creating a truancy project to limit youth-related crime during the day. Meehan established the United States Department of Justice’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) in Pennsylvania. The ICAC is a special unit of detectives that investigate online predators on the web and bring them to justice; it has become a model across the country.

[edit] Career as U.S. Attorney

Pat Meehan became the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on September 17, 2001, six days after the September 11, 2001 attacks. He was appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate. Meehan heads an office of over 200 lawyers and staffed backed up by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Office. As U.S. Attorney, Meehan has made terrorism, gang-crime, child internet-safety, and public-corruption priorities for his criminal division. Public-corruption in Philadelphia in particular was brought to the spotlight in 2003 when a FBI electronic listening device was found in the Philadelphia Mayor’s Office.

In light of the 9-11 Attacks, Meehan formed the Anti-Terrorism Task Force (ATTF), later renamed the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to evaluate and prevent future terrorist attacks. This initiative was done in partnership with local, state and federal law-enforcement and emergency responders. The ATAC has led large-scale table-top and field exercises on biological attacks and the poisoning of the food-supply in partnership with Saint Joseph’s University in order to help Eastern Pennsylvania to prepare for terrorist attacks.[4]

Recognizing the expansion of gang-related activity in the eastern part of Pennsylvania, Meehan sought a $2.5 million dollar Department of Justice grant to fight and prevent gang violence for the region. The unique “Route 222 Corridor Anti-Gang Initiative” brought together elected officials, federal, state and local law-enforcement with community groups to fight gangs in a rural area unfamiliar with big-city gang violence. The money was divided among enforcement, prevention and rehabilitation. The program aimed not only to increase arrests, but also to fund school programs and community centers to educate youth about the alternatives to gang life.[5]

Continuing the work he began while he was Delaware County D.A., Meehan continued to make child safety on the Internet a priority, sponsoring Internet safety training seminars with Web Wise Kids and visiting local schools. Meehan’s office has prosecuted sub-standard nursing homes and elder care facilities, and nefarious lenders who offered ill-advised loans to disadvantaged homeowners. (Bio) The U.S. Attorney’s Office under Meehan has been nationally recognized for its work in the field of health-care fraud. The office has won more than half a billion dollars in settlements against some of the largest pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy benefit managers, ensuring better self-policing and oversight by the industry. [6]

[edit] Public Corruption Cases

Though much lauded for his work in a wide variety of areas, it has been several high-profile public corruption cases that have put Meehan in the headlines. Philadelphia is well known for its “pay to play” culture that rewards patronage rather than merit. Since taking office, Meehan and his office have been actively prosecuting corrupt Philadelphia city officials. Meehan has said, "Pay to play cannot be standard operating procedure in city government.[7]”

This was brought to national attention on October 7, 2003 when Philadelphia Police, during a routine sweep of Mayor John F. Street’s office, found an electronic listening device. It was later discovered that the “bug” had been planted by the FBI as part of a city corruption investigation that targeted several aides of Street (who was not the target of the investigation). City officials and the mayor were outraged, especially with the timing coinciding with the Philadelphia Mayoral Election on November 4th, 2003. Street’s campaign spokesman went so far as to accuse the federal government of attempting to influence the election (which Street ended up winning anyway).[8] Meehan was applauded in the press and in the city for his handling of the situation, which resulted in twelve indictments including Street confidant Ronald White (who later died before he could stand trial) and city treasurer Corey Kemp who was convicted and sentenced to ten years in federal prison.[9]

Other city officials prosecuted by Meehan’s office included former city councilman Rick Mariano (who was sentenced to six and half years in federal prison for accepting bribes and attempting to influence city contracts), the President of the Independence Seaport Museum John S. Carter (who was sentenced to 15 years for cheating the museum from $1.5 million), Montgomery County accountant Denis Shusterman (for embezzling $10 million, he received a 14 year sentence)[10], and State Senator Vincent Fumo (who is currently awaiting trial on 139 count indictment including fraud, conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges carrying a ten-year sentence).[11]

[edit] Potential candidate for Governor

As Governor Edward G. Rendell is term limited in Pennsylvania, the speculation has already begun about who will be the next occupant of the mansion in Harrisburg. Pat Meehan has been mentioned along with former Congressman Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett, and former Lt. Governor William Worthington Scranton, III. as being potential Republican nominees for the Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2010. On the Democratic side, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, State Auditor Jack Wagner (politician), Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham, and state Senate Minority Leader Bob Mellow have been listed as possible candidates.[12]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ J.F. Pirro, "Justice Served (Straight Up)." Mainline Today, 7/11/2007. http://www.mainlinetoday.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=B5549CFD24E64BAC93E11938AD51A18C&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=1AED076692D1474F883AE0D030F88D25&AudID=18572880BDE043E69679E179E578B1AC
  2. ^ Joseph A. Slobozian, "A decisive, focused style from new U.S. attorney." Philadelphia Inquirer. 9/15/2001; Pg. B01
  3. ^ Joseph A. Slobozian, "A decisive, focused style from new U.S. attorney." Philadelphia Inquirer. 9/15/2001; Pg. B01
  4. ^ U.S. Attorney Patrick L. Meehan (Official Bio), Accessed 1/19/2008 http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/pae/usa.html
  5. ^ U.S. Attorney Patrick L. Meehan (Official Bio), Accessed 1/19/2008 http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/pae/usa.html
  6. ^ J.F. Pirro, "Justice Served (Straight Up)." Mainline Today, 7/11/2007 http://www.mainlinetoday.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=B5549CFD24E64BAC93E11938AD51A18C&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=1AED076692D1474F883AE0D030F88D25&AudID=18572880BDE043E69679E179E578B1AC
  7. ^ Mark Fazlollah and Joseph Tanfani, "Probe reveals city's shadow government." Philadelphia Inquirer. 6/30/2004; Pg. A01.
  8. ^ Nicole Weisensee Egan, "Meehan 'Plays It Straight'; U.S. Attorney Lauded As Man of Integrity." Philadelphia Daily News. 10/9/2003; Pg. 06
  9. ^ Michael Hinkelman, "5 guilty in City Hall corruption case appeal convictions." Philadelphia Daily News. 6/6/2007. Pg. 06"
  10. ^ John Shiffman, "Big jail time for museum cheat; John Carter." Philadelphia Inquirer. 11/3/2007. Pg. A01
  11. ^ Craig R. McCoy and John Shiffman, "The Case Against Fumo." Philadelphia Inquirer. 2/7/2007. State and Regional News
  12. ^ Thomas Fitzgerald, "Rendell allies look west for 2010 heir; Battle-wary fund-raisers put stock in Allegheny County's fiscal star." Philadelphia Inquirer. 11/18/2007; Pg. B01

[edit] See also

[edit] External links