John Dougherty resigns from IBEW Local 98 and Philadelphia Building and Trades following conviction
PHILADELPHIA - Longtime Philadelphia labor leader John Dougherty has resigned as the Business Manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98 after he was found guilty on federal corruption charges Tuesday.
Dougherty — known widely by his nickname "Johnny Doc" — said he announced his decision to IBEW's executive board hours after Monday's verdict in which he convicted of eight counts, including conspiracy and honest services wire fraud.
The board also unanimously elected Local 98 Safety Director Mark Lynch to serve as Interim Business Manager.
"I made this difficult but necessary decision to resign as Business Manager for the good of this union that has been my life’s work and passion," Dougherty said in a statement. "I am leaving Local 98 in an incredibly strong position, financially and otherwise. We are among the most respected locals in the entire IBEW and our members enjoy the highest wages and best benefits package in the nation. With Mark Lynch, Zach Gniewoz and the best team of Business Agents we’ve ever had running day-to-day operations, Local 98 is in great hands."
Dougherty also left his post with Philadelphia Building and Trades on Wednesday.
Prosecutors said John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty kept Bobby Henon, a union electrician-turned-Philadelphia City Council member, on the payroll to help his union keep a tight grip on construction jobs. Henon was convicted of 10 counts, including conspiracy, bribery and honest services wire fraud. Dougherty was acquitted of three fraud counts and Henon of eight fraud and bribery counts.
Their convictions follow a lengthy FBI investigation of activities within the chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers that Dougherty leads, but will not mark the end of Dougherty's legal woes.
Dougherty, who has served as the IBEW Business Manager since 1993, still faces at least one more federal trial based on charges in the sweeping 2019 indictment.
U.S. Attorney Jennifer Williams called the verdict "a strong message to the political power players of this city and any city that the citizens of Philadelphia will not tolerate public corruption as business as usual."
Jurors deliberated for several days last week before announcing a verdict Monday afternoon. The defendants' sentencing was scheduled for February.
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Dougherty, speaking briefly with reporters as he left the courthouse, didn't comment directly on the verdict.
"We’re going to go back and regroup. I’m going to take my time, meet with my lawyers, and we’re going to meet with the heads of the unions, and we’ll regroup," he said.
Henon didn't offer any comment as he left; messages were left with attorneys for both defendants.
However, Henon did release a statement Tuesday that read as follows:
"My family and I are still processing the jury's decision in my federal trial. I am presently working with legal counsel to evaluate next steps.
Although this is a difficult time, I am deeply appreciative of the incredible outpouring of support from my City Council colleagues, the residents of the 6th District and the city’s labor community. Their words of encouragement mean the world to me.
The law requires that I resign my position before or at the time of sentencing. Accordingly, I will continue to serve in my capacity as Councilman until that time.
My offices have and will remain open. My staff, who have demonstrated unwavering dedication and poise in the face of immense pressure, will continue their service to the 6th District and the City of Philadelphia. All of the events, programs, legislative initiatives and constituent services we have planned will proceed as planned and without interruption."
Henon submitted a letter Wednesday relinquishing his role as Chair of the Committee on Public Property and Public Works, Chair of the Committee on Licenses and Inspections, Vice Chair of the Committee on Finance, and Vice Chair of the Committee on Public Health and Human Services.
Federal prosecutors argued that Dougherty kept Henon on the payroll in a $70,000-a-year, no-show job.
Defense lawyers insisted that there had been no undue influence and argued that the city allows council members to hold outside jobs. The defense also questioned how it was a crime for union supporter Henon to side with Dougherty and the building trades workers he was elected to represent.
"If you know that the person you’re supposedly bribing is already going to do what you want, then there is no bribe," Dougherty attorney Henry Hockeimer Jr. said in his closing argument last week.
Williams said there was no problem with council members having outside jobs, but Henon's salary was "a bribe in disguise."
Dougherty, a major force in Pennsylvania politics, has steered more than $30 million over the years to mostly Democratic candidates, and his brother sits on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Prosecutors over four weeks of testimony tried to show that Dougherty used Henon to press Comcast Corp. to steer $2 million worth of electrical work to a friend during cable contract talks with the city, to shut down the non-union installation of MRI machines at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and to investigate a towing company that seized Dougherty’s car.
Hockeimer called Dougherty an older-brother figure to Henon and defended his client’s "bombastic" style. He scoffed at allegations that the salary and Philadelphia Eagles tickets he passed on to Henon amounted to bribes.
Dougherty still faces a second trial on charges he and others embezzled more than $600,000 from Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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