Tag: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Joe Biden on Friday twice made joking references to complaints from women that his physical behavior made them uncomfortable. The former vice-president’s comments came during his first public appearance since the allegations began to surface last week. Biden quipped: “I just want you to know – I had permission to hug Lonnie.” The crowd, which was mostly male, erupted in laughter. Later, Biden made a similar joke after inviting a group of children onstage and putting his arm round a young boy. “By the way, he gave me permission to touch him,” the former vice-president said, again to laughter. “Everybody knows I like kids more than people,” Biden said. Although he has not been accused of sexual assault or harassment, the women have said they felt Biden violated their personal space. On Wednesday, Biden pledged in a video to change his behavior. “WELCOME BACK JOE!” Trump tweeted. Biden hit back, tweeting: “I see that you are on the job and presidential.”

For years before he was indicted last month, Electricians union leader John J. Week after week, small-dollar donations withdrawn from the paychecks of members of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers piled up in the bank account of the union’s main political action committee, Committee on Political Education, or COPE. From 2002 through 2018, the union collected just under $41 million to invest in helping elect allies to local, state, and national offices, according to an Inquirer analysis of Local 98 member contributions to the political committee. Under the leadership of John Dougherty, Local 98 of the electrician’s union has collected millions from its members through payroll deductions, using the funds to help elect allies to local, state, and federal offices. Annual contributions to Local 98 from its members SOURCE: Analysis of Pa. campaign-finance reports Staff Graphic The 159-page indictment returned by a federal grand jury entangled only one elected official — Councilman Bobby Henon — and didn’t charge anyone with making or receiving improper campaign donations. Perhaps the crowning moment came in 2015, when union money helped Democrats take control of the state Supreme Court by electing three justices, including Dougherty’s brother, Kevin, whose campaign got $1.5 million. After the indictments, it’s possible that Local 98 will keep spreading political money around as Philadelphia holds elections for mayor and City Council this year. The money comes from union members. Dougherty took control of Local 98 in 1993 and made his first political move two years later, helping electrician-turned-politician Rick Mariano unseat City Councilman Dan McElhatton in the 1995 Democratic primary. Mariano, who spent five years in federal prison and emerged a critic of Dougherty’s and the union’s leadership, compared the members’ payroll deductions to what is known as “macing,” when political bosses require public employees to donate to the party.

Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia are expected on Wednesday to announce criminal charges against Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the labor union’s leader, John Dougherty, closing a years-long corruption investigation into his business and personal dealings, according to federal law enforcement officials close to the probe. Dougherty has been under investigation for more than two years by federal authorities. In 2016, the FBI raided his home, the union’s headquarters, the South Philly bar he owns, and a number of other locations, including the office of City Councilman Bobby Henon, the union’s former political director. Dougherty’s brother, Kevin, is a Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice elected in 2015 with major support from Local 98. When reached by phone, Dougherty, widely known as “Johnny Doc,” said if he is charged on Wednesday, it would be news to him. “I haven’t heard anything,” he said, mentioning that he was watching television with his wife. “Listen, nobody has told any of us as of date. The government’s court documents never mentioned Dougherty, instead referring to Local 98 “Official 1.” It marked the first charges brought by federal prosecutors in its investigation into Dougherty and Local 98, but the court documents suggested Peltz did not provide information to authorities that would have assisted their wider examination of Dougherty and Peltz has not agreed to be used as a government witness in the case against the politically powerful labor union. Prosecutors say Local 98 donated the money to a nonprofit Moylan controlled, but instead of devoting it to charity, Moylan allegedly spent the money on his mortgage and “meals, travel and golf,” authorities say. The paper reported that the payment, discovered in a late-filed statement to the U.S. Department of Labor, occurred just as federal investigators began closing in on questions over whether Dougherty and Local 98 have been improperly using union money.

Big money has arrived in northern Michigan political races, according to filing reports and the Michigan Campaign Finance Network (MCFN), which tracks money raised and spent in political races. MCFN Executive Director Craig Mauger says the race for the State House in the 104th District (Grand Traverse County) is one that’s attracting significant outside money. “Lansing-based groups see it as an important race.” MCFN has tracked $68,040 spent in the race as of Oct. 12 by and for the two candidates, incumbent Republican Larry Inman and his challenger, Democrat Dan O’Neil. Thus far Inman’s campaign has raised $76,693 and O’Neil’s $137,917. Both of Vanderwall’s primary opponents also outraised Taillard: Ray Frantz raised $68,009, while Bruce Rendon raised $106,498. In the 37th District, which includes Grand Traverse County, the tip of the mitt and the eastern third of the UP, Republican Wayne Schmidt, the incumbent, has raised $396,518. In the race for the State House in the 101st District, Republican Jack O’Malley has raised $64,897. She’s put in $11,670, while the Leelanau County Democratic Party has contributed $10,000, the Manistee County Democrats $4,000, and the Benzie County Democrats $2,603. Of course, the money for these races is dwarfed by the amount spent by candidates at the state level. Other large donors were the combined spending of the DeVos Family, Amway, Windquest Group and Altico, which donated about $7.1 million to Republican candidates.