Philadelphia Daily News from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 6

PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS SATURDAY. JANUARY 24, 1998 PAGE 6 Won't seek House seat vacated by Foglietta it's not in his best interests, who am to say otherwise." Another prominent Philadelphia politician, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Blackwell had called late Thursday with news of his decision not to run. The source said Blackwell described his concern over the recent FBI subpoena for employment records of Michael David Williams, aka Michael Youngblood, a volunteer aide to his wife. Youngblood, who was Council-woman Blackwell's special assistant until Street fired him in 1993, was the proj V- AO 1 A by Mark McDonald Daily News Staff Writer Lucien Blackwell, former longshoreman, city councilman, mayoral candidate and congressman, has thrown in the towel on a storied career in elective politics, opting out of the race for the open congressional seat vacated by former US. Rep.

Thomas Foglietta, now ambassador to Italy. Blackwell's departure from a growing field of candidates has turned eyes onto Democratic City Committee chairman Bob Brady, considered by some party leaders to be the biggest beneficiary of Blackwell's action. The 1st Congressional District stretches from North Philadelphia into Delaware County. But State Rep. Dwight Evans, who is running for mayor and is leader of the 10th Ward within the 1st District, said Blackwell's departure leaves the field "wide open.

At this point I don't think anyone has a lock on this race." And Blackwell made clear that, at least for now, he's not prepared to endorse anyone, though he said he has "high regard" for Brady. Last fall when Black-well jumped into the race, he said he still had an unfinished agenda, cut short by Chaka Fattah's Blackwell Cm? Brady I t. Sen. Rick Santorum talks to by Joseph R. Daughen Daily News Staff Writer The Senate vote on whether to confirm Judge Frederica Massiah-Jackson to the federal bench will be postponed so she can respond to prosecutors' charges that she showed leniency to criminals in SO cases.

Sen. Arlen Specter, said representatives of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association have been given until next Friday to supply the Senate Judiciary Committee with details of the cases. The confirmation vote had been scheduled for Wednesday. Massiah-Jackson, now a city Common Pleas judge, will then be given a chance to explain her actions I have anything that the Arlen ect manager at a controversial, city-funded rehabilitation of a North Philadelphia industrial building into a homeless shelter. The unfinished project is mired in red ink.

Blackwell said the federal probe played no role in his decision. "That's not a concern. I don't think Michael Youngblood did anything wrong and I know my dear wife Jannie didn't do anything wrong." He said the probe is the result of allegations coming from a "disgruntled former employee who said Youngblood stole something. A subpoena is not a sign of guilt, so well just wait and see." With Blackwell out of the picture, the biggest names in the race now are Brady and former Common Pleas Judge John Braxton, who took Foglietta on in 1996. Braxton has made much of the fact that he lives in the district, unlike Brady, and is an African-American in a majority black district.

Brady's strength v.ill come from the party organization that he runs and years of helping pols from the committee level to elected officials. Al Stewart, former councilman and leader in the 11th Ward, said, "I think Lu's departure will help Bob Brady. I don't think Bob would have gone forward head to head with Lu." Among the other interested candidates are Steven Nesmith, operations director at the Mayor's Office of Community Services and president of the state bar association's young lawyer's division, Stanley White, Foglietta's top aide and a ward leader, John Dougherty, president of Local 98 of the IBEW, State Rep. Andrew Cam and Delaware County lawmaker Thaddeus Kirk-land. Asked how he thought Blackwell's departure will shake out, Street said, "I don't have a clue at this time." STEVEN M.

FALK DAILY NEWS how he'll vote on nomination 4 4 1 Judge Massiah-Jackson "long-term patterns of bias against prosecutors and police." Neither Abraham, a staunch Massiah-Jackson foe, nor Rendell, who supports the judge, attended a news conference arranged by Specter's staff. Massiah-Jackson, 47, was photographed and filmed leaving the session, but she made no comments. Santorum said he and Specter were "somewhat irritated" that the DAs didn't provide their material until so late in the game. He said he maintains his position that Massiah-Jackson's nomination should be brought to the Senate floor for a vote. Unlike Specter, who has committed himself to getting Massiah-Jackson confirmed, Santorum would not say how he would vote when and if the matter comes to the floor.

reporters: He says he doesn't know siah-Jackson was accompanied to the meeting by attorney Charles W. Bowser. "I have not heard anything yet that would disqualify Judge Massiah-Jackson," Specter said. Although the Judiciary Committee already has approved by a 12-6 vote, the nomination of Massiah-Jackson, who would become the first black female judge on the U.S. Dis trict Court here, Specter said material provided by the DAs will cause the matter to be referred back to the committee.

He said he didn't know if the committee would have to take another vote and couldn't provide a timetable for action. The meeting was convened, in part, to see if the differences between the DAs opposing Massiah-Jack son and those supporting her could be worked out. It quickly became apparent that they couldn't. After the meeting, Bucks County DA Alan Rubenstein and Northampton County DA John Morganelli told reporters they remain opposed to Massiah-Jackson because of her delayed 66 not heard yet would disqualify judge. Specter 1994 victory over him in the 2nd Congressional district.

But since then, a relaxed sounding Blackwell said, "I had mixed emotions about it. I've given it a lot of thought and, you know, I've got a lot of other things I want to do and really, I've been there." He said that he's working with St. Hill Associates, which he said has snared a S1.3 billion student-loan collection contract from the federal government Friends say the 66-year-old Black-well is staying trim through exercise and has a deepening interest in religion. "A few weeks ago, I was on my way to breakfast with my son, Tom, and he said if I was back in Washington, we wouldn't be able to do this," Blackwell recalled. His wife, City Councilwoman Jan-nie Blackwell, was squarely behind his run for office, he said, but when he voiced doubts recently, "they started telling me the truth, I guess.

They didn't want me to run. So, I loved being in Washington, but I don't have to be a congressman." City Council President John Street, perhaps Blackwell's closest political friend, said, "It's a very personal decision. If he ran, I'd be supporting him and if he decides in those cases, Specter said. Specter made his comments after he and Sen. Rick Santorum, met with Massiah-Jackson, Mayor Rendell, District Attorney Lynne Abraham and other members of the DAs' group, and Philadelphia Bar Chancellor Mark Aronchick in the U.S.

Courthouse here. Mas-.