George X. Schwartz, 95, Phila. councilman

George X. Schwartz, 95, former president of City Council whose political career ended in an Abscam extortion and conspiracy conviction in 1980, died yesterday.

Mr. Schwartz was one of the dominant players in city politics for more than 20 years, wielding tremendous power and influence as both a private attorney and city councilman and ward leader.

But he was one of more than a half-dozen local officials caught in the FBI Abscam sting, one of the more controversial political corruption investigations in the nation's history.

Mr. Schwartz's career began with a stint in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 1950s and included more than 20 years as a city councilman, the last eight as Council president.

He cut a distinguished figure, with tailored suits and neatly cropped, graying hair in his later years that earned him the nickname "the Silver Fox."

His career began to unravel in a suite of the Barclay Hotel in January 1980 when he met with two representatives of an Arab "sheikh" purportedly interested in building a luxury hotel in Philadelphia.

At that meeting, filmed and tape-recorded by the FBI, Mr. Schwartz agreed to use his influence to expedite the project and in return was paid $30,000.

"We got five or six members [of City Council]," Mr. Schwartz boasted to the FBI agents posing as representatives of the sheikh. "You tell me your birthday. I'll give them to you for your birthday."

Mr. Schwartz was convicted of conspiracy and extortion. After a lengthy legal battle, Mr. Schwartz in 1985 began serving a one-year, one-day federal prison sentence.

In his later years up until his death, he lived in the William Penn House in Center City.

He was born in New York but grew up in West Philadelphia, the son of a successful real estate dealer. He graduated from West Philadelphia High School in 1932, received an undergraduate degree from Temple University in 1936, and graduated from Temple University Law School in 1940.

Mr. Schwartz began his law career at the same time he entered politics, serving first as a committeeman from the 34th Ward in Overbrook. By 1962, he had become ward leader for the "Fighting 34th," a staunchly Democratic organization noted for the fierce loyalty of its organizational members.

That loyalty was directed to Mr. Schwartz, who controlled the ward in much the same way he would later dominate City Council.

Mr. Schwartz was first elected to the State House in 1952 but lost the seat two years later.

With the help of then-U.S. Rep. William J. Green Jr., he won back the seat in 1956.

With Green's backing, Mr. Schwartz became a councilman in 1960 after the sudden death of then-Councilman Sammy Rose.

His tenure as Council president was marked by his ironfisted rule. He set the course of virtually every piece of legislation considered by Council, dominated the Democratic caucus, and controlled most of the political patronage.

Mr. Schwartz married his high school sweetheart, Jerre.

They first dated when he was 14.

She died in 1994.

He is survived by a son, William G. Schwartz; daughters Marjorie Dilsheimer and Susan Goodrich; 10 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services are scheduled for 1 p.m. tomorrow at Joseph Levine and Sons, 7112 N. Broad St., with interment at Montefiore Cemetery, Rockledge.