Feds Clarify Status Of Johnny Doc Investigation; Deny Immunity From Prosecution
Federal prosecutors said in a court filing yesterday that they are “pursuing an ongoing investigation” of electricians-union honcho John Dougherty, who they said is a “subject” of a criminal investigation. As a result, they said, a federal judge should not grant him immunity to testify in the upcoming trial of electrical contractor Donald “Gus” Dougherty Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Gray said yesterday that granting John Dougherty immunity to testify in the case could jeopardize any future investigation and prosecution of the union leader. The feds claim that Gus Dougherty made illegal payments to the union leader in connection with the sale of a Jersey Shore condo that authorities allege was for $24,000 less than its fair-market value, and $115,600 worth of free renovations to the union leader’s Pennsport home. It is a crime for a contractor to give anything of value to an officer of a labor union that represents the employer’s workers. Gus Dougherty has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to stand trial May 19. On Monday, Gus Dougherty’s attorney, Eric Sitarchuk, filed court papers asking U.S. District Judge Eduardo C. Robreno to grant the union leader “use immunity” to testify on behalf of his client. Sitarchuk said that John Dougherty had been subpoenaed to testify but that the union leader’s attorney had told him that Dougherty would assert his Fifth Amendment rights not to testify.The lawyer, Hank Hockeimer, has recommended that John Dougherty not testify in the case as long as he is the subject of a federal criminal investigation. Hockeimer said that he has been told by prosecutors that John Dougherty is not a “target” of a federal investigation. A target, unlike a subject, is somebody likely to be charged and who prosecutors believe may have committed a crime. [via DAILY NEWS]
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ALLEGED: Shooting Thwarted Gangland-Style Hit on Marvin Johnson
6ABC Sports Anchor Keith Russell has reportedly supplied shocking and as yet wholly unsubstantiated details to a Florida radio station about last week’s shooting linked to Indianapolis Colts and Roman Catholic football star Marvin Harrison. Harrison is being investigated by Philadelphia police following the April 29 shooting in which a gun he owns was used to shoot a man who had just beaten him up, in the hand. According to ProFootballTalk, Russell appeared with Jason Jackson on Miami’s WQAM, and said his sources tell him that the man who was shot had come to carry out a gangland-style hit on Harrison. According to the website, Russell said during the segment that the issue relates to Harrison’s father, who Russell told the radio station was incarcerated, and that the supposed “hit” was related to something in which Harrison’s father was supposedly involved. However, according to this 1999 article from the Sporting News, Harrison’s father died when he was 2. [via PHILLY GOSSIP]
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FATCATS: CEO Pay Remains Obscenely High Despite 15% Pay Cut
After a 38% collective pay raise in 2006, chief executives of the 500 biggest companies in the U.S. (as measured by a composite ranking of sales, profits, assets and market value) took a pay cut of 15% last year. The last time the big bosses took a pay hit was in 2002. In total, these 500 executives earned $6.4 billion in 2007, an average of $12.8 million apiece. The top earner of 2007 was Oracle (nasdaq: ORCL) chief Larry J. Ellison. Ellison drew just a $1 million salary, but realized $182 million from the exercise of vested stock options last year. The next four top-paid chief executives also earned most of their pay from exercised stock options: Frederic M. Poses of Trane (nyse: TT) ($127 million total pay); Aubrey K. McClendon of Chesapeake Energy (nyse: CHK) ($117 million); Angelo R. Mozilo of Countrywide Financial (nyse: CFC) ($103 million); and Howard D. Schultz of Starbucks (nasdaq: SBUX) ($99 million). [via LA TIMES]