Skip to content
News
Link copied to clipboard

Bobby Henon showed up to City Council. No one said anything about his conviction.

Henon said earlier this week that he has no plans to resign his seat until his sentencing.

Bobby Henon leaves the federal courthouse in Philadelphia after his conviction on corruption charges Monday.
Bobby Henon leaves the federal courthouse in Philadelphia after his conviction on corruption charges Monday.Read moreTHOMAS HENGGE / Staff Photographer

Three days after being convicted of federal bribery charges related to his office, Philadelphia City Councilmember Bobby Henon showed up to Council’s weekly Thursday meeting, and even introduced a piece of new legislation.

Despite being absent for much of the fall because of the trial, neither Henon nor his colleagues said anything about the convictions for him and the man jurors concluded paid him $70,000 a year to do his bidding at City Hall, union leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty.

In fact, his only public comments came at the beginning of the meeting, when attendance was taken.

“Good morning, Council president. Good morning, colleagues,” Henon said. Like the rest of Council, he joined the meeting remotely.

Henon said earlier this week that he has no plans to resign his seat until his sentencing. On Thursday, Council’s chief clerk noted that Henon had introduced one bill — a zoning change for his district in Northeast Philadelphia.

» READ MORE: City Councilmember Bobby Henon does not plan to resign until his sentencing

Both Henon and Dougherty were convicted of conspiracy and honest services fraud, charges that could each send them to prison for years. But Henon is not required to resign his elected office until his sentencing, which is scheduled for February.

Thursday marked Henon’s first Council meeting in several weeks, as he had requested leaves of absence for meetings during his six-week trial.

Other members of Council have largely declined to comment on the conviction. Councilmember Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, the only member who has called for Henon’s resignation, was not at Thursday’s meeting.

» READ MORE: Why many Philly politicians still don’t want to talk about the convictions of ‘Johnny Doc’ and Councilmember Bobby Henon

During it, other members did acknowledge the change in leadership at the Building Trades Council, a consortium of politically influential unions that Dougherty had overseen, but without referencing Dougherty’s resignation from it this week. Instead, they focused on congratulating Ryan Boyer, who on Wednesday became the group’s first Black business manager.

“Under Ryan’s leadership and them working together as a team we will see progress being made and moving toward a more diverse and more inclusive Building Trades,” said Councilmember Cherelle Parker.

Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson, who is facing his own federal trial, was also among the members to congratulate Boyer.

“Ascending to this position just shows other young people irregardless of your neighborhood, irregardless of your background that they can also ascend to the top of their profession,” he said.

» READ MORE: Ryan Boyer becomes first Black leader of Building Trades Council after John Dougherty’s conviction

Henon gave up his leadership roles on Council committees Wednesday. He remains a member of other committees, including the committees on environment and appropriations, for which he didn’t show up to meetings this week.

But on Thursday, he did cast votes as Council unanimously passed several bills and resolutions.