Trial begins of ex-Ironworkers leader Joseph Dougherty

LIKE A PUPPETEER, then-Ironworkers leader Joseph Dougherty "was the one back in the office, pulling strings," telling the union's goon squads and shadow gangs what to do, a federal prosecutor told a jury yesterday.

By whatever means necessary - assault, arson, extortion - "Dougherty's goal was to control all the ironwork" in the area and to send a message to nonunion contractors to "hire union ironworkers or else," Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Livermore said.

Dougherty, 73, who served as Ironworkers Local 401's business manager from 1998 to February of last year, didn't personally commit any of the 25 acts of arson or extortion charged in the feds' indictment, but approved of them, Livermore said in his opening statement at Dougherty's federal trial on racketeering conspiracy, arson and extortion charges.

Dougherty's lead attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr., however, told jurors in his opening statement that his client, who joined the union in 1966, has spent most of his life "looking out for the interests and welfare of the men and women, and their families, of the Ironworkers."

Perri placed blame for any violence committed by union members on the union's four business agents. He said Dougherty didn't exercise control over the agents, who were elected by the members.

Of the 1,000 phone calls the government recorded, Perri told jurors, there is not a single one where Dougherty is heard "ordering, directing or telling anyone to do any kind of property damage."

Perri noted that the government will call to testify as witnesses co-defendants of Dougherty's, who have pleaded guilty in the case and are now cooperating with the feds. He called them "admitted serial lawbreakers" and said the government made a deal with them for reduced sentences in exchange for their cooperation.

One of those defendants-turned-cooperators began testifying late yesterday afternoon. William Gillin, 43, an Ironworkers member, said he began participating in "nightwork," or crimes committed on behalf of the union, while protesting a Post Brothers Apartments nonunion job site at 12th and Wood streets, just north of Center City, a few years ago.

He admitted puncturing vehicle tires at the site, and saw workers on the job get assaulted.

Gillin said that Ed Sweeney, a union business agent, authorized what went on there. Gillin speculated that Dougherty approved of the acts, too, because of "chain of command."

"The business agent reports to the business manager," Gillin said. As the leader of the union, Dougherty "ran the local very well" and "helped me out numerous times" financially, Gillin said.

Dougherty also had "absolute" control over the union, Gillin said.

Another target of violence by the Ironworkers was a Quaker meetinghouse being built in 2012 by a nonunion contractor. Dylan Steinberg, a member of the Chestnut Hill Friends who headed one of the group's building committees, said the group had discussions on whether to hire a union or nonunion contractor.

In the end, the Friends decided to give the job to E. Allen Reeves Inc., a nonunion contractor, mainly because of cost, he said. The union bids solicited were "all significantly higher" in cost, he said.

Judson Branning Jr., whose family business does steel work, said his company was hired to put up the steel columns and roofing of the new meetinghouse. Based in the suburbs, he normally stayed away from Philadelphia because of past threats and vandalism by the union, he said.

But the economy was "so rough" that his company took the job at the Quaker site. "We thought it was a meetinghouse, a church," he said. "Certainly, they wouldn't have a problem with that, we thought," he said.

But the union apparently did have a problem with it.

Branning said he was approached at the site one day by Sweeney, who wanted him to hire union workers. Branning said he "had nothing to say" to Sweeney.

After being rebuffed, "Sweeney knew he had to send a message," Livermore said. So, on the night of Dec. 20, 2012, three union members - James Walsh, Gillin and Daniel Hennigar - went to the meetinghouse site. Walsh used a new portable acetylene torch, bought by Dougherty for use by the business agents, to cut the steel columns and anchor bolts of the new meetinghouse, Livermore said. Gillin poured gasoline on a crane and set it ablaze. Hennigar acted as the driver.

Gillin, Sweeney, Walsh, Hennigar and seven other Ironworkers members have pleaded guilty, leaving Dougherty the lone defendant to face trial.

Perri told jurors that Dougherty "had no knowledge whatsoever" of the Quaker meetinghouse arson before its taking place.

Source: Philly.com