10 leaders of Ironworkers Local 401 charged in racketeering indictment(THUGS)

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 02/13/2014 | Jeremy Roebuck

[Kid Shelleen]

They called themselves "the Helpful Union Guys" - "THUGS" for short - and woe awaited any contractor who dared cross them by hiring non-organized workers.

For, federal authorities alleged Tuesday, this "goon squad" of members of Ironworkers Local 401 set fires, started riots, and took crowbars to the competition in an effort to protect union jobs.

FBI agents arrested 10 of the union's leaders Tuesday morning, including longtime head Joseph Dougherty, in a racketeering conspiracy case that appeared to affirm long-standing business complaints over the tactics employed by Philadelphia unions.

[Blood of Tyrants]

How many years did they get away with it because they had Rats for governors?

[ConservativeInPA]

PA Ping Request

It is about time to make PA a right to work state. Maybe then Philadelphia will be less of a hell hole. Otherwise, let's just give Philadelphia to stinking NJ.

[peeps36]

We just had a few union guys get convicted of trying to buy a politician. They were donating money to the politician using straw donors. The politician was never charged but that's only because he was smart enough to stay away from it. He used his campaign manager as the go between. His manager was also arrested in the sting.

[ConservativeInPA]

It’s not RATS for governors, it includes RINOs as well. PA pretty much has a tradition of taking turns between Rats and RINOs going back to the 50’s. Prior to that Philadelphia, and the commonwealth, was controlled by Republicans ... but not the type you would recognize today.

[GeronL]

Imagine if we had national card-check

[Blood of Tyrants]

What happened? Did the union thugs rough up a politically connected contractor?

[Mark17]

How many years did they get away with it because they had Rats for governors?

Who knows, a hundred years maybe?

[Gasshog]

RICO their ass to the wall. enjoy your stay in Sing Sing.

[ConservativeInPA]

What happened? Did the union thugs rough up a politically connected contractor?

To be a politically connect contractor in Philadelphia you have to run a union shop. The FBI did all the work on this case (which is really surprising). There is no way Philadelphia cops would investigate this. They are union thugs as well. If you get the idea I do not like Philadelphia, you would be correct, but I am being objective in my analysis.

[Blood of Tyrants]

“There is no way Philadelphia cops would investigate this.”

Of course not. This type of thuggery doesn’t go on for decades without the complicity of the police and DA.

[Rainier1789]

Hard to believe that Holder’s “Justice” Dept. would let the FBI get away with this. Probably all will be forgiven with another high-paid bla.. er, African-American diverse union official of color and better RAT Party control over the thuggery and payoffs.

[skinkinthegrass]

l'm surprised; I thought, unionists' thuggery/
"organizing" was excepted from Federal Laws.

[ConservativeInPA]

I believe that is exactly the way the game is played. Appoint a negro to be VP of Diversity for the union and all is forgiven. Any direct consequences of that appointment would be to establish a quota for Dagoes in a majority Mick union. (excuse the non-PC speak, but that is how things happen in the real world of Philadelphia.)

[Ditto]

Otherwise, let's just give Philadelphia to stinking NJ.

I say give it too them anyway. PA would be a great state without that hell hole of corruption. New Jersey would never notice the difference.

[Steely Tom]

RICO their ass to the wall. enjoy your stay in Sing Sing.

Sing Sing is a state prison in New York.

RICO is a federal law, and these guys are in Pennsylvania anyway. So they're safe from Sing Sing and David Berkowitz (its most famous prisoner). Who's actually turned out to be a model prisoner, and seems to be sincerely contrite and repentant.

[Ditto]

Local FBI special agent in charge Edward J. Hanko joked that the leaders' brazenness reminded him more of his past investigating mob cases in New Jersey.

I doubt he was joking. The Mafia and these hard core unions are one and the same. Some call themselves a member of Local XX, and others call themselves part of Family XX.

They all report to the same Godfather.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Kid Shelleen.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Bump.....