Foxfi verizon 2015 trial#
» READ MORE: As it happened: Bobby Henon’s role in union dispute with Verizon focus of bribery trial testimonyīy late 2015, Verizon was nearing its deadline for a seven-year project to expand its FiOS network throughout Philadelphia, while also juggling a long-running contract dispute with the workforce it relied upon to complete it, largely represented by the CWA. “The purpose of the hearing was to highlight everyone there was out of work,” he said, as well as “bringing Verizon to task.” Henon’s discussions about campaign cash were completely separate, his attorney Brian J. » READ MORE: Union official and councilman at the same time, Bobby Henon crossed the line, prosecutors sayīut defense lawyers countered, arguing Wednesday that Henon, an avowedly pro-union official, had valid concerns about Verizon’s ability to meet the demands of its contracts with the city and how it was treating its workforce - treatment that eventually led CWA members to strike. “Henon would help CWA in a private labor negotiation with Verizon.” Attorney Bea Witzleben said in her opening remarks to jurors last week. “CWA would give Councilman Henon a large contribution,” Assistant U.S. It is one of the few allegations in their bribery case against Henon that does not involve his codefendant, labor leader John Dougherty, head of the politically powerful Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical workers. Prosecutors maintain Henon’s assistance came at a price: $13,000 in campaign contributions they say he sought in exchange for his help from the Communications Workers of America. In 2015, Philadelphia City Councilmember Bobby Henon plotted with a union official to publicly embarrass Verizon with Council hearings they hoped would pressure the telecommunications giant into making concessions in an ongoing labor dispute, federal wiretap recordings show.īut as the focus of his federal bribery trial shifted to that incident Wednesday, the question put before jurors was whether any of it was a crime.