Bobby Henon
Member of the Philadelphia City Council from the 6th District
In office
January 2, 2012 – January 20, 2022
Preceded byJoan Krajewski
Succeeded byMichael Driscoll
Personal details
Born (1969-01-11) January 11, 1969[1]
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJill
Children2
ProfessionPolitician, Union official, Electrician
Criminal chargeConspiracy to commit fraud, wire fraud and bribery
PenaltySentenced 42 months in prison

Bobby Henon is an American former politician. He was a Democratic member of the Philadelphia City Council from 2012 until 2022.[2]

Political career

Henon, an electrician by trade, has worked as a steward, sub-foreman and foreman. The head of the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Johnny Dougherty, eventually named him the chapter's new Political Director, a position from which Henon lobbied various levels of government on legislative issues pertaining to the electrical industry. Henon also managed election day operations for endorsed candidates, educated campaign volunteers, and coordinated major campaign events. He also served as Chairman of the local’s Political Action Committee, as board member of the Electrical Mechanical Association, and as a delegate to the IBEW International Convention.[3][4]

In 2011, he was elected to Philadelphia City Council's Sixth District, succeeding the retiring incumbent Democrat Joan Krajewski. Since taking office, Henon has focused on quality of life issues in the 6th District through his Bad Neighbor Initiative, which aims to identify the residents and owners of properties who have received multiple property maintenance code violation notices for ongoing issues like trash; over-grown weeds; high grass; and broken windows, which cause property values to drop, neighborhoods to decline and community morale to fade. The 'worst of the worst' owners are issued subpoenas to testify in front of City Council.

Henon also developed and released the City Hall app, a Philadelphia first-of-its-kind way for residents to interact with City government to report issues from problem properties to potholes.

Manufacturing was also a key focus during Henon's first term. At his urging, Mayor Michael Nutter named a Manufacturing Task Force, of which Henon was named co-chair. The task force was charged with studying the current manufacturing sector and making comprehensive recommendations on how it can grow in the Philadelphia region. The pursuit grew from his strong family ties to manufacturing and belief in bringing family-sustaining jobs back to Philadelphia's neighborhoods.

Family health and physical activity was another key focus for Henon in 2013, when he launched his Philly Play! initiative, which aimed at promoting play and physical activity as a preventative health measure to families. Central to that effort is the promotion of public play spaces such as recreation centers, basketball courts and other outdoor and indoor play areas, such as Police Athletic League centers.[5]

Criminal charges

In January 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Henon along with other members of the IBEW Local 98, including its business manager Johnny Dougherty, for embezzlement and theft in a corruption probe by federal officials. Henon stated that he planned to contest the charges and not resign from office.[6][7] On November 15, 2021, a jury convicted Henon on 10 of 18 federal charges. On January 20, 2022, Henon resigned from Philadelphia City Council.[2] On March 1, 2023, a judge sentenced Henon to 3.5 years in prison. [8] He reported to prison at Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix on April 17, 2023.[9]

Personal life

Henon and his wife, Jill, live in Northeast Philadelphia with their two sons.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Bobby Henon, Sixth District". Philadelphia Elections Information. Committee of Seventy. Archived from the original on 2011-04-30. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  2. 1 2 WHYY, Maria Pulcinella. "Philadelphia City Councilmember Bobby Henon resigns, two months after bribery conviction". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  3. 1 2 "About Bobby". Bobby Henon for City Council. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Bobby Henon". Biographies. Northeast Democrats. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Henon, Bobby". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  6. ↑ Allyn, Bobby; Briggs, Ryan; Davies, Dave (January 30, 2019). "Pa. political powerbroker 'Johnny Doc' indicted on corruption charges". WHYY.
  7. ↑ Roebuck, Jeremy; Gambacorta, David (January 30, 2019). "Local 98 leader Johnny Doc, Councilman Bobby Henon charged in sweeping conspiracy case". Philadelphia Inquirer.
  8. ↑ "Former Philadelphia Councilman Bobby Henon sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for corruption case". 6ABC. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Convicted former Philadelphia councilman reports to federal prison in bribery case". 6ABC. April 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
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