Vince Fumo Challenges Former Protege Kenney To A Street Fight

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

Former state Senator Vince Fumo is so pissed at his  onetime protege, Mayor Jim Kenney, that he's publicly challenged Kenney to a back-alley fight.

"You are the dumbest and biggest pussy in the city," Fumo wrote Kenney on Facebook. "You set a deadline for the scum that has taken over our streets and made a mockery of our city and its laws. And then what do you do, what any pussy would do. You back off again. Get that shit off of that street NOW!"

Fumo was raging about Kenney's complete incompetence in dealing with the various Tent City camps that for the past four months have been a blight on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Since June, Kenney has set three supposedly final deadlines for the camps to be cleared, and then three times, Kenney has caved, and done nothing. 

"Not only do they live in my neighborhood, but they make a mockery of the real homeless people that Sister Mary [Scullion] and others help every day," Fumo wrote about the anarchists and professional provocateurs posing as peaceful protesters on the Parkway. "And yes, PLEASE, PLEASE do NOT give those people on the Parkway another deadline. Admit that they made a total fool and asshole out of you," Fumo wrote, and then he urged Kenney to resign in disgrace.

In his Facebook rant, Fumo, who is 77, and has survived cancer and a few heart attacks, challenged Kenney, who is 62, to a street fight, like in Rocky V, when Rocky took on Tommy Gunn.

"Jimbo, I am challenging you to meet me in a back alley of your choosing," Fumo wrote. "Send Ms. [Police Commissioner Danielle] Outlaw to let me know the details. In fact, she can act as your second! She can hold your jacket and bring a First Aid kit to mend your wounds."

As a powerhouse state senator for 30 years, Fumo elevated Kenney from a chubby young intern known among staffers as "Baby Huey" to Fumo's chief of staff. Then Fumo got Kenney elected as a city councilman at large. But the ungrateful Kenney hasn't spoken to Fumo in a dozen years.

As I recount in a 2017 book I wrote about Fumo, Target: The Senator; A Story About Power And Abuse Of Power, Fumo has some experience working with the homeless. In 2014, after he got out of prison after serving a five-year sentence for political corruption, Fumo worked off 500 hours of community service as an outreach volunteer to the homeless, on behalf of Sister Mary Scullion's Project HOME.

Here's the heart of Fumo's latest rant against Kenney:

"Why should any taxpaying citizen abide by the law?" Fumo wrote. "Why should any taxpaying citizen pay city fines anymore?"

"Not one of the rioters who was arrested ever paid a fine. Why? Because you decided to use our taxpayer money to give them a gift and threw out all of the fines. And very few, if any, were from the city."

"Since these people need housing so badly, why don’t you let some of them use your place to live for a while," Fumo wrote. "You’re never there. You spend all of your time in S. Philly with your girlfriend. There are enough police there protecting her. So, they can protect you as well. We can save some money by saving on the duplication of services."

According to Fumo, who owns a brownstone mansion in the city's Art Museum area, Kenney is destroying property values in a city where every street is pockmarked by potholes that Kenney is ignoring.

"I want you to go and look on YouTube and see 'Seattle is Dying!' " Fumo wrote. "That’s what Philadelphia will be in three more years! The values of all of our homes are going down rapidly. You alone are costing us all thousands and thousands of dollars."

"Not only are you driving out the middle class of the city, but also the wealthy. When all of these people flee, who is going to pay your soda tax as well as all of the other taxes that are needed just to keep your expenses paid for."

"It costs a lot to carry your fat ass around. And just think of the costs to take care of your girlfriend and your wife. Wow you can really run up the bills, You are a really a big spender with our money!!"

In his Facebook rant, Fumo makes reference to former city Managing Director Brian Abernathy, who recently resigned after the Kenney administration completely botched the police response to the George Floyd protests, which led to riots, looting and arson fires.

"You get Brian Abernathy to fall on the sword for you and your police commissioner," Fumo wrote. "We can never tell anymore if a person is really resigning or being threatened by you and your henchmen."

" Look, pussy why don’t you threaten someone your own size? Why don’t you come out of your bunker and meet me in the alley of your choosing?"

"I’m much older than you and probably not a nimble as I used to be," Fumo admitted. "But, because you have become so weak in so many ways, you will need an ambulance to get out of that personal battle with me." 

Here's the full text of Fumo's Facebook rant:

Asshole. Yes, Jimbo, that’s you. You are the dumbest and biggest pussy in the city. You set a deadline for the scum that has taken over our streets and made a mockery of our city and its laws. And then what do you do, what any pussy would do. You back off again. Get that shit off of that street NOW! Not only do they live in my neighborhood, but they make a mockery of the real homeless people that Sister Mary and others help every day. And yes, PLEASE, PLEASE do NOT give those people on the Parkway another deadline. Admit that they made a total fool and asshole out of you and leave them alone. Put up some permanent barriers and keep taxpayers happy. Also, ask them if there is any other city property they might like and help them to inhabit there too. 

Why should any taxpaying citizen abide by the law? Why should any tax paying citizen pay city fines anymore? Not one of the rioters who was arrested ever paid a fine. Why? Because you decided to use our taxpayer money to give them a gift and threw out all of the fines. And very few, if any, were from the city. Since these people need housing so badly, why don’t you let some of them use your place to live for a while. You’re never there. You spend all of your time in S. Philly with your girlfriend. There are enough police there protecting her. So, they can protect you as well. We can save some money by saving on the duplication of services.

So happy that your true disdain for the city was exposed when you got caught eating without a mask inside a restaurant in Baltimore, MD. You did that at our expense too. You were driven there by Philadelphia police in a city-owned SUV. I guess the taxpayers even paid the tolls. By the way, we know you don’t own a house, but do you even own a car? Or do you make us pay for all of your rides to the shore? I know you were also caught eating at Sophia’s in Margate.

As we drive down the streets of Philadelphia, they’re filled with potholes. Our cars hit those holes and they cause damage to our vehicles, but since you don’t even own a car, you could care less. Well we are not happy about spending almost $1,000 to pay for damage to our vehicles. That’s just another hidden tax. Not to mention an aggravating one. There is NOT one street in the city that does not have at least one pothole!!! Wow, you should get an award, just for that.

You get Brian Abernathy to fall on the sword for you and your police commissioner. We can never tell anymore if a person is really resigning or being threatened by you and your henchmen. Look, pussy why don’t you threaten someone your own size? Why don’t you come out of your bunker and meet me in the alley of your choosing? I’m much older than you and probably not a nimble as I used to be. But, because you have become so weak in so many ways, you will need an ambulance to get out of that personal battle with me. Also, Jimbo, who’s giving you clothes to wear these days? You used to get all of my hand-me-down suits when you worked for me those many years.

Talk about Other People’s Money? You have brought that to a new standard. Do you pay for anything these days? Or is all on our tab?

I want you to go and look on YouTube and see “Seattle is Dying”! That’s what Philadelphia will be in three more years! The values of all of our homes are going down rapidly. You alone are costing us all thousands and thousands of dollars. Not only are you driving out the middle class of the city, but also the wealthy. When all of these people flee, who is going to pay your soda tax as well as all of the other taxes that are needed just to keep your expenses paid for. It costs a lot to carry your fat ass around. And just think of the costs to take care of your girlfriend and your wife. Wow you can really run up the bills, You are a really a big spender with our money!!

Jimbo, I am challenging you to meet me in a back alley of your choosing. Or maybe you would prefer that we go to YOUR filthy “village” on 22ndand the Parkway where all of your friends now “live.” Either way, I’m fine. Send Ms. Outlaw to let me know the details. In fact, she can act as your second! She can hold your jacket and bring a First Aid kit to mend your wounds.

Jimbo, I’ve told you this before, but I’ll say it again here. Resign! Resign! Resign! NOW!!! Do the city and yourself a favor. And even more important, do a favor for the city and all of its residents, Black, Brown and White. Oh, and if you can find any, the “Indigenous people” as well. Jimbo, I am told that your friends the Feds are looking into some of your stuff. Enjoy!

A spokesman for Kenney, who remains in hiding, except when he's dining at an out-of-state restaurant, did not respond to a  request for comment. But in the email I sent to the mayor's press office, I did tip my hand when it comes to placing a wager on this back alley bout:

"I know Fumo is 15 years older, has had a few heart attacks and cancer," I wrote Kenney's flacks. "But your boss is such a pussy that my money’s on Fumo."