Fumo says goodbye to colleagues

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, July, 2008 | by Angela Couloumbis Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG - Every man needs a little madness in life, or else he never dares cut the rope and be free. With those words, culled from the exuberant character in the book-turned-movie  Zorba the Greek,  an emotional State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo bid farewell to his colleagues in the Senate yesterday, in what was likely his last speech from the floor he has commanded for almost three decades.

The Democratic senator from Philadelphia said he was not resigning early - he will stick by his plan to serve out his term, which ends this year. But he said he wanted to give his goodbyes because he did not believe he would be back in Harrisburg in the fall, when lawmakers return from summer break. At that point, he will be fighting a raft of corruption charges awaiting him in federal...