House ethics panel to investigate Philadelphia's Fattah

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives ethics committee said on Monday it

will investigate whether Representative Chaka Fattah, a Democrat from Philadelphia, had broken congressional rules after federal corruption charges were filed against him last week.

Fattah and four associates were charged on Wednesday with bribery and misusing hundreds of thousands of dollars of federal, charitable and campaign funds.

The House Committee on Ethics said it voted last week to establish an investigative subcommittee, which will be led by Representative Susan Brooks, a Republican from Indiana. Yvette Clarke, a New York Democrat, will be the ranking member.

Fattah, 58, has represented Philadelphia in the House for two decades and is one of the senior black lawmakers in Congress. He and the others were indicted by a federal grand jury on 29 counts in an alleged racketeering conspiracy, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Fattah has denied the allegations.

He said he would not resign from the House but he did step down as the top Democrat on the House subcommittee overseeing Justice Department spending.

(Reporting by Eric Walsh; Editing by Doina Chiacu)