Frank DiCicco Fires Back At Casino-Free Philadelphia Founder

City Councilman Frank DiCicco is in a dust-up over at Young Philly Politics with Jethro Heiko, a founder of Casino-Free Philadelphia.  DiCicco's son, Christian, sent Heiko a letter yesterday demanding that he retract and apologize for "false, defamatory and malicious statements" made in comments on a YPP post about Council approving a zoning change for Foxwoods to convert into a casino the former Strawbridge & Clothier department store in Center City.

Heiko, in the long comment posted Friday, uses the word "corruption" three times while discussing DiCicco.  Twice, the word is used in a global sense about City Hall. Once, it's more targeted: "His concern for neighborhoods is bogus and closely matched by his lack of concern for the riverfront, which is in the sorry state it is in due to his and his mentor's corruption over the past two or three decades."

That's an apparent reference to former state Sen. Vince Fumo, who is now awaiting sentencing for his conviction on federal corruption charges.

Heiko responded in a YPP post today, refusing to retract or apologize for his comments.  He provides a little more detail however, saying he didn't mean to suggest that DiCicco took a bribe or anything like that.  Heiko's definition of corruption: "...it means lacking in integrity, virtue and moral principle; it means a deviation from what is right; it means failing to represent the public interest."

Will it also mean a lawsuit?  Brian Abernathy, a DiCicco aide, declined to say if his boss would sue Heiko.