John Dougherty is generally considered the most powerful union leader in Philadelphia, if not all of Pennsylvania.
As a result, when he says something people tend to listen.
On the eve of the 2016 primary, Dougherty wrote a letter to the PA AFL-CIO that was subsequently sent out to the press.
The letter comes amidst a report from Anna Orso of BillyPenn that alleges that the Dougherty and Zappala families made a deal sometime before last year’s elections. Zappala’s father, a former PA Supreme Court Chief Justice would endorse the Supreme Court campaign of Kevin Dougherty (brother of John). Dougherty would then support Zappala’s son in his race for Attorney General.
Dougherty’s full letter is presented below:
April 24, 2016
Dear Friends,
I’d like to start off by thanking everyone for all the support you gave my brother Kevin for the PA Supreme Court. And I would like to use that election as a segue into my email tonight.
For the record, I am supporting Stephen Zappala for Attorney General. Stephen is a great District Attorney and an even better person, but a terrible politician.
The November 2015 election was the first time in my 25 years of being a labor leader that every part of the Commonwealth stayed true to the endorsed ticket, as well as making sure that all five judges were supported equally, from Allegheny to York, from Centre County to Lackawanna, through Southeastern PA. As you know, we have been losing statewide judgeships on a regular basis.
Part of my support for Stephen was to continue the statewide Democratic partnership that not only saves money, but also maximizes statewide turnout for the Democratic slate. Selfishly, we in Philadelphia have little chance to win elections without this type of partnership, despite our financial resources and large voter turnout. All that being said, Josh Shapiro’s most recent moves and decisions have me scratching my head.
By now, you probably know that the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) revoked their endorsement of Josh Shapiro because of his acceptance of over $200,000 from Students First. Josh held the check he received from Students First for almost two weeks before depositing it, ensuring that it would be reported in a different cycle (is this even legal?), thus guaranteeing that he would get the AFT endorsement without them becoming aware of the magnitude of the Students First PAC’s support of him.
Josh also has accepted A LOT of money from non-union owners, developers and contractors. There are WAY too many to name, but as recently as this past week, Josh accepted ANOTHER contribution from Allan Myers of $10,000 (when he just finished telling union leaders, who challenged him on the earlier contributions, that he wouldn’t do it again). This makes Allan Myers contributions to Shapiro over $40,000 to date. Also, the contributions he took from Midatlantic Construction (a 100% NON-UNION company and anti-Building Trades), were so small in comparison to other contributions that there was almost no need for him to accept them, let alone ask for them.
But the thing that irks me the most is the “cherry-picking” and misrepresentation of one of Stephen Zappala’s cases from his exemplary 18-year record – the racially antagonizing commercial that Josh is playing now. Putting politics aside, in a time when most civic leaders are coming together, raising racial tensions for political benefit is just wrong. I went my entire State Senate campaign (against Vince Fumo) without uttering a negative word or airing a negative commercial. I would rather lose an election than lose my integrity and manipulate a political moment.
Thanks for taking the time to digest this.
John J. Dougherty
Business Manager
IBEW Local Union 98
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28 Responses
Here’s some more:
http://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/02/23/morning-headlines-johnny-doc-accused-of-punching-non-union-contractor/
Here’s the guy who is “on the record” supporting Zappala:
The FBI alleged in a 2006 request for a search warrant that Philadelphia labor leader John J. Dougherty’s bank records showed a pattern of deposits and withdrawals of “substantial amounts of cash” in “what appears to be an effort to conceal financial dealings.”
DD – have you come to grips that Shapiro will be the winner?
Have you seen this:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/02/18/slaps-on-the-wrist-for-white-men-who-watched-friend-throw-black-man-onto-train-tracks/
Sorry. Meant this one: http://www.frontpagemag.com/point/261936/fbi-investigating-assault-most-powerful-union-boss-daniel-greenfield
http://articles.philly.com/2016-03-15/news/71513917_1_d-a-williams-new-pac-campaign
I’m starting to think Zappala will have a legit challenger the next DA Election in Allegheny County. He will end up regretting this campaign. Perhaps he should think bout getting out of there before he gets further exposed. Or maybe he should actually go over to the Courthouse … for something other than a photo shoot.
The DOJ needs to take a close look at the Dougherty Brothers and Zappala Brothers.
Indict #LittleStevie #Zappala
#UPMCrecycles
https://independent.academia.edu/OchoaMichael/Forensic-Science-U-S-Supreme-Court
#UPMCrecycles
I’m starting to think that the undervote of picking no one will exceed the “winner”.
Little Stevie Blunder can only win when corrupt judges appoint him to a position. That’s how he got his start in Allegheny County.
The time has come when PA voters no longer want Italian Un-American/traitors running our government.
Why does Local 98 put up with this guy? It is clear from the BillyPenn article that John D. leveraged his Union’s power and votes to get his brother elected.
Are Local 98 members OK with this guy looking out for himself and his relatives like this?
And don’t forget the most important part — when Zappala Sr and Johnny Doc made their deal, AG Kane was not “out of the way” yet. Zappala Jr. did his part – testifying against Kane for Fina & The Corbett Pervs.
And there are many who believe that Johnny Doc did his part too. Don’t forget the ties between the “operatives” that lined up against Kane and Johnny Doc. Josh Morrow – the governmaet’s star witness against Kane – and Johnny Doc go way back. The reporter who leaked the information is alleged to be Doc’s guy too.
Can’t make this stuff up. Hope Kane is reading.
With all due respect John. You making any deals with statewide races and thinking voters will honor your deals is just improper.
It was a true pleasure to work with Judge Kevin Dougherty last year along with our great team of qualified respectable hard-working candidates.
Just as this year after the Primary is over “We” will come together to do it again.
I proudly stand with Josh Shapiro as our next Attorney General. He can and will win the General Election.
I hope you enjoyed your Birthday and took sometime out of your political day to enjoy it.
HaHaHa: your answer lies inside the Orie prosecutions that came about after a mole was planted in Senator Orie’s office and information that politicians were playing politics. (OMG!) in the office was reported back to Zappala’s office. This was payback because Joan Melvin dared to campaign for Supreme Court on the Cash for Kids scandal, embarrassing the Zappala mafia and defeating their candidate. Between the two Juniors—-Stevie and Chuckie( the little rat) Porter, evil schemes take precedence over everything else. If those two get elected to the A.G. Office, no one’s back will be safe.
Apparently Johnny Doc doesn’t read nationally respected African American news sites: “Candidate [Zappala] for Pa. Attorney General Uses Footage of Black Misery to Win Votes”
http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2016/04/pa_attorney_general_candidate_uses_footage_of_black_misery_to_win_votes.html?utm_content=buffer270be&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
John – Who the efff cares what you think of “Josh”??? I know I don’t. When are the FBI Agents coming for you? Your “integrity”!! PLEASE.
I would like to know how it is that Zappala got involved with the selectively enforced leak case in Montgomery County (all the way across the State from Pittsburgh).
I mean – Zappala is a Democrat. What is he doing testifying as an “expert” against another Democrat in a trumped-up criminal case. With ALL THAT experience, Zappala must know that criminally prosecuting the AG for one alleged leak is highly irregular. He must also know that the people he was testifying for (Fina & The Corbett Pervs) are KNOWN TO LEAK MATERIAL on the cases they have.
So – why would Zappala agree to do it? Why was he so hesitant to say that he would release all the Hate-gate material? What is his connection to Fina & The Corbett Pervs?
This mofo Doc aints gots no morz juice. Aints noonez gonna care bout no letter anyways. Da Feds be comin’ for his white azz soon enough.
Aren’t you all missing the point that it is Louis DeNaples that is calling the shots?
Zappala is running a terrible campaign. This race was his to lose.
Jelli Bean – what “thugs” did Zappala “send out?”
Seems the rank-and-file seem to know not to listen to this guy anymore. He is looking out for himself (and his family) only.
I read another comment about what would happen if Zappal wins the AG race. Dougherty would have both the local and state prosecutors in his pocket.
We already know that Seth Williams turned his back on a victim of violent crime because of the money that Dougherty gave him.
According to the testimony of a police officer at preliminary hearings, when officers approached the White guys who got slaps on the wrists from Zappala, they were very upset and wanted to know why they were being stopped.
When accused of hitting Mr. Lockett, an A/A male, one admitted what he had done, before adding: “Who cares, it was only a nigger”
The officers also recalled Gault, one of his friends, saying: “Don’t know why you’re making such a big deal over a crackhead nigger.”
Apparently – Zappala doesn’t care much. And it appears he doesn’t think throwing a man onto train tracks is a “big deal” either. Even the Judge was critical of the plea deals offered by Zappala.
From Press account:
“Judge Manning accepted a lenient plea deal offering probation to three of the five white men accused of beating a black man and throwing him onto a Wood Street subway track in Downtown Pittsburgh after a Kenny Chesney concert last May.”
“But as he accepted those terms, J. Manning said he was unhappy with the deals reached between the defendants’ attorneys and District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala, Jr.”
Josh Shapiro list of endorsements just to make a point. Sorry if I missed anyone I had to go looking for a list and this is all I could find. Oh darn
President Barack Obama
STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICIALS
Governor Tom Wolf
U.S. Senator Bob Casey
Governor Ed Rendell
Auditor General Eugene DePasquale
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5
John Adams (Berks County D.A.)
Kelly Callihan (Cambria County D.A.)
Stacy Parks Miller (Centre County D.A.)
William A. Shaw, Jr. (Clearfield County D.A.)
Kevin Steele (Montgomery County D.A.)
Lisa Lazzari-Strasiser (Somerset County D.A.)
Shawn McMahon (Elk County D.A.)
PROGRESSIVE GROUPS
Planned Parenthood PA PAC
Equality PA
League of Conservation Voters
Democracy for America
LABOR
Teachers (PSEA)
Nurses (PASNAP)
UFCW 1776
AFSCME 13
Laborers District Council
Plumbers Local 690
and more…
NORTHEAST
Sen. John Blake
Rep. Mike Carroll
Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski
Hon. Jim Wansacz
Hon. Kenneth Smith
Attorney Todd Eagen
SOUTH CENTRAL
Mayor Rick Gray (Lancaster)
Mayor Eric Papenfuse (Harrisburg)
Mayor Kim Bracey (York)
Commissioner George Hartwick (Dauphin)
Rep. Patty Kim
Dauphin County Democratic Committee
Commissioner Craig E. Lehman (Lancaster)
Capital Region Stonewall Democrats
PITTSBURGH AND SOUTHWEST
Hon. Dr. Cyril Wecht
State Rep. Dan Frankel
Dan Gilman (Pittsburgh City Council)
14th Ward Independent Democratic Club
Gertrude Stein Political Club
NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL
Erie County Executive Kathleen Dahlkemper
State Rep. Florindo Fabrizio
State Rep Ryan Bizzarro
Warren Commissioner Jeffery Eggleston
Warren County Democrats
Commissioner Mike Pipe (Centre)
Kelly Callihan (Cambria County D.A.)
Stacy Parks Miller (Centre County D.A.)
William A. Shaw, Jr. (Clearfield County D.A.)
Lisa Lazzari-Strasiser (Somerset County D.A.)
Shawn McMahon (Elk County D.A.)
PHILADELPHIA
Sen. Vincent Hughes
Sen. Art Haywood
Rep. Donna Bullock
Rep. Stephen Kinsey
Rep. Joanna McClinton
City Council President Darrell Clarke
Sheriff Jewell Williams
Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown
Councilman Bill Greenlee
Councilwoman Helen Gym
CouncilmanDerek Green
Councilman Kenyatta Johnson
Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez
Councilwoman Cherelle Parker
Hon. Marian Tasco
Rep. Leslie Acosta
Liberty City Democratic Club
SOUTHEAST
Chester County Democratic Committee
Delaware County Democratic Committee
Montgomery County Democratic Committee
Sen. Daylin Leach (Montgomery)
Rep. Tina Davis (Bucks)
Rep. Leanne Krueger-Braneky (Delaware)
Hon. Bryan Lentz (Delaware)
Jack Stollsteimer, Frm. U.S. Attorney (Delaware)
Little Stevie list of endorsements
Doc and Cash for Kids Blood guys.
Daddy and Uncle Charlie
Wonder if voters will consider the facts tomorrow:
FBI, state prosecutors investigating fight involving union leader Dougherty Feb 2016
http://articles.philly.com/2016-02-25/news/70908086_1_fbi-interest-senior-fbi-officials-james-daly
Zapppala connection to Kids for Cash
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DO…
The murder of Jerry Jackson who was shot 13 times after a traffic stop where Zappala brags in his ad that the police officer was convicted. Not so fast…see the truth from Cyril Wect. He was there.
https://vimeo.com/163762265
Zappalas get millions from PA gaming. Mobster Louis DeNaples contributes to campaign, money is returned only after it comes to light.
http://triblive.com/news/admin…
Little Stevie Zappala holds press conference with a few women to protect him… That doesn’t work
Little Stevie sends out the thugs – that doesn’t work.
Poor little Stevie, guess your daddy cant help either. Maybe try your wife and kids they can cry and beg please vote our little STEVIE
IN HIS OWN MIND -John Dougherty is generally considered the most powerful union leader in Philadelphia, if not all of Pennsylvania, when Doc dreams… Doc is truly considered to be one of the biggest laughs in all of Pennsylvania
As a result, when he says something people tend to laugh out loud… .
Thanks for the Nail in the coffin for Little baby Z.
If Doc supports someone in open public = big loss.
Message from Zappala: Doc just send checks don’t talk. Plan is I will hide and I need you to hide. If the public knows either of us, I lose the top law job that my daddy wants me to have.
Heartbreaking story, even for a spambot like me with no heart. The good thing is…I can’t whine either. Wah! The big boys are picking on little Stevie and he can’t defend himself. He’s hiding behind paid actresses skirts. But he will make a really tough A.G., if you believe what his daddy says.
LOL. A letter from Dougherty … where he finally goes “on the record” with his support for Zappala.
What took so long??? Is Zappala ashamed after Doc and his union goon buddies attacked a non-union worker?
Campaign finance reports show IBEW Local 98 donated $130,000 to Zappala’s campaign by April 8. The Pittsburgh arm of IBEW kicked in $30,000, and other building trades unions in Philadelphia donated significant funds to Zappala. That’s a significant portion of his cash.
Zappala’s campaign is a complete mess. He panders to Blacks. He takes money from felons. And – now he tries to hide (until the last minute) the fact that he is in bed with Dougherty.
Think about this — Johnny Doc lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. If Philadelphia’s DA can’t prosecute him and the Pennsylvania AG cannot prosecute him (which would be the case if Zappala won), who would be left to prosecute Johnny Doc?!? Maybe that’s just the way Dougherty wants it ….
BTW – isn’t Kevin Dougherty involved in Porn-gate? Wasn’t Zappala’s brother involved in “Kids for Cash”? And it has been reported that Stephen Zappala testified for Fina & The Corbett Pervs in their “case” against fellow Democrat – Kane (who just so happened to have the goods on Johhny Doc’s brother too!?!!)
Shapiro — involved in no scandal; in bed with no union goons; did not take money from convicted felons.
Total disgrace. Doc you can spin your tail anyway you want. The voters know the truth. When you talk we laugh!
Your support of your brother could have cost us all the election. Your brother does have honor..
You are just a thug. That spends other peoples money.
Be honest You know if Josh is elected your reign of terror will end.
Enjoy your Birthday and your last days. Game is over. You lost.
You want to talk about campaign money Zallapa and his BLOOD MONEY KIDS for CASH
You make me sick.
You are just a bully because you have a check book that belongs to the UNION.
Go home and blow your candles out!