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Dec 2, 2008 3:15 pm US/Eastern
Lederer, Rep. Convicted In Abscam Probe, Dies
PHILADELPHIA (AP) ―
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Raymond F. Lederer, a Democratic politician who was imprisoned for taking a bribe in the FBI's famed Abscam investigation, has died. He was 70.
AP
Raymond F. Lederer, a Democratic politician who was
imprisoned for taking a bribe in the FBI's famed Abscam investigation, has
died. He was 70.
Lederer died Monday of
lung cancer at his lifelong home in the Fishtown section of the city, said his
son, Miles.
Lederer was videotaped
on Sept. 11, 1979, at a New York
motel accepting a $50,000 bribe from two FBI undercover agents. Authorities said Lederer accepted the payoff
in return for promising to help two fictitious Arab sheiks enter the United States.
Lederer told the
agents, "I can give you me," in return for the money. His defense attorney
claimed entrapment, but Lederer was convicted in 1981 and served 10 months in
prison.
In all, six House
members and one senator were convicted in the Abscam sting.
Lederer won his first
elected office, a state House seat, in 1974. He was elected to Congress in 1976
and twice won re-election, but had to give up his seat following his
conviction.
While in Washington, Lederer was instrumental in arranging a deal
to bring Chilean fruit through Philadelphia's
port.
After prison, Lederer
went on to work as a roofer, helping to deliver supplies to job sites.
Born in Philadelphia on May 19, 1938, Lederer graduated from Roman
Catholic High School, and took classes at Saint Joseph's
College, Community College of Philadelphia and Penn State University.
After a brief stint as
an assistant engineer with the Pennsylvania Department of Highways, Lederer
went on to work for, and later run, the Philadelphia Probation Department.
Lederer is survived by
his wife, Eileen; sons Miles and Joseph; daughters Mary Beth Baranosky,
Patricia Green, Diane Benson and Claire Hampton; 15 grandchildren; a sister;
and four brothers.
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