PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Defense attorneys for Philadelphia City Councilmember Bobby Henon and labor leader John Dougherty got a chance Tuesday to rebut wiretap recordings played at Monday’s session in federal court.
Henon is accused of taking official action on behalf of Dougherty in exchange for his salary from the electricians union, which prosecutors characterize as a bribe by Dougherty.
On Monday, the jury heard conversations about an incident in which Dougherty’s car got towed in September 2015. He importuned Henon to introduce legislation to punish the company, suggesting a bill that would require special training for tow truck drivers.
Defense attorneys noted no such legislation ever got introduced in council.
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They also presented evidence left out of the government’s case, including the fact that Dougherty’s first call on the night his car was towed was to a different Council member, and that Dougherty’s call to Henon followed several innocuous text messages that Henon sent to Dougherty.
Henon’s lawyer also showed that Henon had looked into other towing companies in response to constituent complaints.
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There were also conversations played on Monday in which Dougherty tells the electricians union political director that Henon is not “showing up,” and that she “has to hold him a little more accountable.”
The meaning was unclear, but Dougherty’s attorney Hank Hockeimer suggested he was talking about the fact that Henon was not providing receipts for charges to his union-issued credit card.
Hockeimer said, in fact, the union took the credit card away.
Testimony also turned to Comcast’s cable franchise agreement with the city, and Dougherty’s involvement in those negotiations.
Former Henon aide Tom Holroyd took the stand and described a 2015 meeting in Henon’s office between Comcast negotiators and Dougherty.
Giving Dougherty a role in the franchise deal is one of the acts that prosecutors allege Henon did for Dougherty.
But Henon’s defense attorney, Brian McMonagle, painted the electricians as just one of the stakeholders to whom Henon gave a platform in negotiations, along with non-profits and civic associations who pushed for greater internet access and better service.
“There’s nothing inappropriate about meeting with stakeholders, is there?” McMonagle asked. Holroyd said “No.”
