The chief weapon in his arsenal, prosecutors said, was City Councilman Bobby Henon, whom Dougherty helped propel into office in 2011 on a tide of union money, then allegedly used as a tool to leave his mark on pressing legislation facing the city.
Together, they are charged ‐ along with six other members and allies of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers ‐ as codefendants in a sprawling criminal case that threatens to upend the landscape of politics and organized labor across Pennsylvania.
The allegations detailed in the 116-count indictment range from the typical fare of white-collar cases ‐ claims that Dougherty and others embezzled more than $600,000 between 2010 and 2016 to fund personal shopping sprees, restaurant dinners, and annual trips ‐ to staggering claims of corruption and political vindictiveness.