http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/6955098.htm

<<An electronic listening device has been found inside Mayor Street’s City Hall office, the Philadelphia FBI office said today.

"We know about the device and we're just going to take appropriate action and proceed from here," FBI spokeswoman Linda Vizi said.

Vizi said she “would not confirm or deny” whether federal authorities might have installed the electronic bugging device as part of an investigation.

But she said that authorities knew enough to state flatly that the device had not been installed as some “dirty trick” as part of the mayoral election.

“We have ruled out the possibility of involvement with anything to do with the election," Vizi added.

A Street adviser said yesterday that the device had been found above Street’s desk inside the mayor’s private office area.

Street declined comment early today.
>>

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Philadelphia Daily News: "SOURCE: BUG PART OF ONGOING FEDERAL PROBE": http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/...al/6959205.htm

http://kyw.com/news/local_story_280161504.html

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/6957314.htm

http://www.kyw1060.com/news_story_de...wsitemid=32547

I think it's funny. Probably, there's nothing big about it, but I think this is the Inquirer's way of trying to make Street look as bad as they can. I think they are going to endorse Katz again.

Street doesn't need anyone's help in looking stupid and acting ignorant; he does that perfectly by himself.

Philadelphians do. They don't get it. Everything that makes it look bad will help.

I would imagine this would be about the Parking Authority (millions in fixed tickets) and the no bid 13 million contract given to the Mayors brother ... this is serious and to say it is a scam to make him look bad is pretty foolish ... this is about patronage and other things that has been a focus of this campaign ... it's only a matter of time ... 50 years in office (Dems) builds corruption into the fabric of the system ... The Mayor would be wise to admit it and go after it ... or just let the voters decide.

http://mayorsforum2003.com

Hey, I'm hoping it is legitimate, and there's another reason not to vote for Street. But I believe my point is true - the Inquirer is trying to make him look as bad as they can without coming and saying so. And I say "good for them." There's plenty of crap that goes on in City Hall that could be investigated by the FBI, but it either doesn't happen or it is kept hush-hush. Wouldn't it be nice for a really big stain on Street's already pretty crappy reputation?

Apparently this has nothing to do with the election, though.

That's what the FBI said yesterday. If I had to guess, I'd guess the parking authority situation - were they already under indictment?

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Now Rat Keel is saying that this bugging is an attempt by the GOP to "help Katz and Bush." What does making John Street look bad have to do with Bush? Are Philadelphians really going to believe this? Street and his rats are clearly so out of steam that the only name they can call Katz is a Republican.

For me the really telling aspect was the FBI's initial response:

a) They were quick to point out that this does not have to do with the mayoral race. In this morning's DN there's a transcript of the Q&A with Linda Vizi, the local FBI mouthpiece, and one reporter asks, "How do you know this?" She doesn't answer, but it seems to me the unspoken conclusion is clear: They know it has nothing to do with the election because - they were the ones who installed the bugs.

b) She did the standard "neither confirm nor deny" thing about whether the FBI is involved. I know that's a stock answer, but if they definitely had nothing to do with it, wouldn't they just say so? The way they quickly nixed the notion that it had to with the election?

In addition, though I agree that the print media seems to revel in trashing Street (I think they actually revel in anything sensationalist about the campaigns, regardless of which side it hurts; there's been precious little substantive coverage of the issues in this race by the Inky), I would point out that the initial alarm was sounded by Sylvester Johnson, whose people found the bugs & who then called in the FBI. I don't know exactly at what step the media got involved, but the whole thing began because of the administration's existing concerns about being surveilled. Last night's news said that was because of "leaks," but that seems an odd reason to have your office swept for bugs on a regular basis. Obviously Street had legitimate concerns about being bugged - where would those concerns come from?