FBI targets Philly union boss ‘Johnny Doc’ Dougherty, Councilman Henon in searches

Authorities are searching multiple locations across Philadelphia in connection to an investigation involving union leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty and City Councilman Bobby Henon over the alleged misuse of union funds.

An FBI spokeswoman only stated that the Friday morning searches were part of “an ongoing investigation,” Philly.com reported, adding that sources said that the investigation, which has been developing for more than two years, was a joint FBI/IRS probe. Dougherty, a powerful Democrat in local politics whose brother sits on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, has led the electricians’ union since 1993.

The International Brotherhood of Electricians’ local Spring Garden Street union hall and Dougherty’s pub, called Doc’s Union Pub, on South Second Street, were among the properties searched by federal agents, NBC10 reported. Councilman Henon, a former IBEW Local 98 electrician, had his City Hall office and an office in Northeast Philadelphia searched in connection to the investigation.

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As authorities searched Dougherty’s East Moyamensing Avenue home, he said, “Nothing has changed inside the house since the last time 10 years ago,” referring to a 2006 tax fraud investigation, NBC10 added.

No charges related to that 2006 case were ever filed against Dougherty, though he had reportedly deposited $106,000 in cash between 2002 and 2005 that was not traced to any known source, according to Philly.com.

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Last September, Dougherty became the head of the Philadelphia Building Trades Council shortly after Democrat Jim Kenney, whom Dougherty supported, won the primary in his effort to eventually become mayor, NBC10 stated.