Kelly aide is subject
of federal probe

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

The office of City Councilman Jack Kelly maintains that an ongoing federal probe of the councilman’s chief of staff has not been a distraction.
"It’s business as usual here," said John Cerrone, the councilman’s director of legislation.
Kelly (R-at large) is not discussing the investigation, which is focusing on chief of staff Chris Wright. He designated Cerrone as spokesman on the matter.
Cerrone said Kelly — who based his re-election campaign largely on a theme of being friendly to animals — last week joined Mayor Michael Nutter at the grand opening of the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society’s adoption center at Second and Arch streets.
The aide added that the councilman will be in his seat for Council’s weekly session on Thursday, Jan. 24.
Investigators have interviewed Kelly and his staff about Wright’s relationship with real estate developers Hardeep and Ravi Chawla, who are brothers. The investigation appears aimed solely at Wright.
"Councilman Kelly has not been the target of anything," Cerrone said.
Wright, who turned 44 earlier this month, has been a Council aide for 14 years. Back in 1994, Councilman Brian O’Neill told then-Councilman Thacher Longstreth, an at-large Republican, that he should hire a Northeast resident to handle constituent services.
Kelly, who had served a term as the 7th District representative and was Republican leader of the 53rd Ward, suggested that Longstreth hire one of his committeemen — Wright.
As Longstreth aged and became sickly, Wright’s duties expanded. He prepped the councilman on legislation and upcoming votes. Longstreth, who announced he would not seek another term in 2003, died in April of that year.
By that time, Kelly was running for an at-large seat. He won and hired Wright as his chief of staff. Holly Maher, another Longstreth aide, also came on board.
Kelly won re-election last November and was sworn-in on Jan. 7. Wright remained on the job.
However, he’s been on vacation since news of the investigation, first reported on Jan. 16 by the Daily News. He remains on the staff.
"He’s employed by the city of Philadelphia," Cerrone said.
Cerrone stressed that the office staff has cooperated with authorities and will continue to cooperate. The councilman, he added, has not been distracted.
"He’s going to continue to do an excellent job with constituent services," he said.
Wright is being represented by attorney Lisa Mathewson, who said the investigation is in its early stages.
"Fact gathering is continuing on both sides," she said.
Mathewson said, at this point, she sees no evidence of a crime.
"Chris didn’t do anything out of the ordinary," she said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office does not confirm the existence of investigations, spokeswoman Patty Hartman said.
Published reports in the Daily News and Inquirer have outlined the close relationship between Kelly and the Chawlas, who donated $30,000 from three family partnerships to the councilman’s re-election campaign.
The Chawlas operate Huntingdon Valley-based Sant Properties Group, a real estate development and management organization with substantial holdings in the Northeast and Center City. Wright has worked as a real estate agent.
Hardeep Chawla served prison time in 2006 after pleading guilty to defrauding the government of money in a lease agreement with the Internal Revenue Service for two buildings on Caroline Road, located just east of the IRS main offices on Roosevelt Boulevard.
One of the reported angles of the investigation is that Wright lived rent-free for 10 months in a plush apartment in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. The government wants to see if the Chawlas have an interest in that building.
The general counsel for Sant Properties is Andy Teitelman, who also serves as treasurer of Friends of Jack Kelly. Neither the Chawlas nor Teitelman returned calls for comment.
Mathewson said Wright assisted the Chawlas like he would any other citizen who asked for help.
"Everything that Chris did was appropriate constituent service," she said. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com