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PA-8: Dougherty Appears at Santarsiero Event

santarsieroSteve Santarsiero is already hitting the campaign trail.

The State Representative announced his entry into the race in January. After 2014 candidate Shaughnessy Naughton made clear she was also entering the primary, Santarsiero tried to counter with a series of endorsements.

Now he is holding events with local elected officials and candidates in the hopes of shoring up some more support among the party establishment.

One such event occurred last weekend when his State House colleagues Madeline Dean, Tim Briggs and Matt Bradford threw a fundraiser for him. They were out to raise as much cash as possible before the first fiscal quarter deadline at the end of this month.

Among the visitors was Kevin Dougherty. Dougherty is the Administrative Judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas’ Trial Division and a candidate this year for the State Supreme Court.

Perhaps more important, at least for Santarsiero, is that Kevin is the brother of John Dougherty, a major labor leader in Philadelphia who serves as Business Manager of the IBEW 98.

Dougherty is prohibited by the Judicial Code of Conduct from endorsing or officially supporting any candidate for office. Still, his presence speaks volumes.

The Eighth Congressional District is comprised of all of Bucks County and parts of upper Montgomery County. It is currently represented by retiring Republican Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick.

11 Responses

  1. Sean Ryan, how much medicinal marijuana are you smoking? The unions will NEVER, EVER be behind the GOP nominee whether it is Gene D or Mr. Green Jeans. Plus, by continuing to flog DiGirolamo’s pro-union, anti-taxpayer history, you make sure he will never make it out of the primary. Certainly this is part of your job to flog the Lower Bucks County/Mike Fitzpatrick myths, but please go back the government office you work in. Good job though making sure you only post during your lunch hour!

  2. @ Sean Ryan. What is with the Gene DiGirolamo love?? Maybe he can run against Santarsiero in the Democratic primary where they can debate who loves Obamacare more.

  3. @ Lee
    That’s exactly right. There’s always an angle when Johnny Docs involved. Let me help you fill in some blanks. Dougherty has been setting fires all over Philadelphia and Montco. Now he’s desperate to save his unqualified deer in the headlights brother. Docs telling people hes supporting Cordisco in Bucks for US Senate. These desperate lazy hacks think his word is good longer than a day.

  4. Rule 4.2 of the Code of Judicial Conduct permits judicial candidates,here Judge Dougherty, to ” attend… events sponsored by a political organization…’

  5. Thanks Mike! I may not have been clear. The congressional race is a year out. In my experience even when judges are seeking higher office, they tend to avoid appearing too tight with non-judicial candidates. Again, that’s just my experience with candidates in my region and that could very well just be an unofficial rule they try to observe. Thanks for clarifying!

  6. Anyone who believes that Kevin Dougherty and his brother Johnny Doc are not joined at the hip in anything political is just not thinking clearly. Examine the funds raised that evening. I am sure some funds where given by an associate of Johnny Doc. Kevin is running for State Supreme Court and his appearance for Santarsiero is more then just a goodwill gesture.

  7. Sean Ryan is right. There is no way John Dougherty puts his whole weight behind any Democrat in this seat unless they have already won it.

  8. Chris – I looked it up. There is an exception for judges who are running for higher office, or for retention. Also, the Supreme Court election is this May.

  9. Dougherty is campaigning hard this year and as a candidate that is campaigning he attends campaign events for fellow candidates for his party. As this was hosted by a few state level politicos, it would only make sense that he would be there. The speculation in this article is absurd and to think attendence by the brother of a labor leader means an endorsement is eminent is moronic.

    If John Dougherty was in attendence then speculation would be reasonable. However we all know that John will be behind Gene DiGirolamo when he throws his hat into the ring. As will the rest of labor.

  10. Honest question: Is there anything in the judicial ethics canon that precludes Dougherty from showing up a fundraiser for a legislator? Especially a year out?

  11. Just what the people of the 8th CD district are looking for a union puppet. Worked well for the other clowns Fitz defeated easily.

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