A farewell bash for Fumo before sentence starts

As he fights to delay the start of his prison term, former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo is set to enjoy one last hurrah.

Tonight, he is scheduled to get together with 350 friends and family members for a bash at a South Philadelphia banquet hall to celebrate his recent wedding engagement to Carolyn Zinni.

"At the end of every storm, there are calm seas," says the elegant script of the invitation, printed on ivory card stock.

It adds: "Please join us as we celebrate our wedding engagement and to share well wishes for Vince."

The invitation also makes clear: "No gifts, please."

On Monday, Fumo's lawyers asked a federal judge to allow him to remain free on bail pending the outcome of his appeal of his corruption conviction. He is facing an Aug. 31 start of his 55-month prison term. His lawyers say he has an undisclosed medical problem that would justify a delay.

The dinner is to take place at Popi's, a restaurant and caterer on 20th Street near Penrose Avenue.

There, waiters will proffer assorted hors d'oeuvres to arrivals. Then the guests are to dine on filet mignon (served with a Bordelaise sauce) or baked stuffed flounder, served at stations. A one-hour dessert buffet will follow.

Entertainment will be provided by a trio of Philly Pops musicians, according to a Pops representative. Peter Nero, artistic director and conductor of the Philly Pops and a longtime friend of Fumo's, was asked to find musicians for hire for the occasion, she said.

Fumo, 66, and Zinni, 51, both twice-divorced, were engaged over the July Fourth weekend, four months after a jury found the former Democratic power broker guilty on all charges in a sweeping corruption case.

The jury found that Fumo had defrauded the Senate and a pair of nonprofits of at least $2.1 million and also tried to obstruct the FBI investigation.

It was unclear who was throwing the party, although guests were asked to RSVP to the e-mail address of Fumo's younger daughter, Allison, a student at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

The gathering's guest list is being closely guarded, and several people yesterday who seemed to be likely invitees declined to say if they planned to go.

While the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Ronald L. Buckwalter was widely denounced as too lenient, there is no doubt that Fumo retained many friends throughout his ordeal. In all, 312 people, including many prominent lawyers and businesspeople, wrote letters to Buckwalter on Fumo's behalf before sentencing.

Dennis J. Cogan, a Fumo lawyer, declined to comment yesterday, as did Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Zauzmer.

Zauzmer and Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Pease are expected to file motions shortly opposing any delay in the start of the sentence.

Zinni, who operates a dress shop in Springfield, Delaware County, spoke out fervently on Fumo's behalf at his sentencing in July. She told the court that she had accepted Fumo's proposal because "I'd rather be with him for as much time as possible than 50 years with someone else."