During the Democratic National Convention, the office of Philadelphia’s most powerful construction union stood out, decked in an enormous sign declaring “Hillary for President.” But on Friday morning, the union headquarters captured public attention for a different reason: a yellow Penske semi-truck parked on the curb outside, packed with dozens of boxes of evidence lugged out of the office by federal agents.
Authorities raided not only the office of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98 but also the home of its powerful leader, John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty, who is also head of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council. In addition, law enforcement searched a pub run by Johnny Doc and other union bosses, as well as the offices of a labor-connected Philadelphia city councilman.
The searches occurred just a week after Johnny Doc and the construction unions played a central behind-the-scenes role at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Earlier this year, Johnny Doc had accompanied Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Congressman Bob Brady for a meeting with Hillary Clinton to discuss union issues, including project-labor agreements, posing for a photo with her:
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