Philadelphia Weekly

Their offices in the city tell the whole story--at least the part that explains how a one-time alliance has become the city's most intriguing political feud and a battle that could define Philadelphia in 2003.

Start on Spring Garden Street in a two-story brick building right across from Philadelphia Community College. Inside that International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98 office, John Dougherty, a 42-year-old relative newcomer to city politics, wields growing political clout.

Amid Irish mementos, scattered sports memorabilia, pictures of him with Bill Clinton and a framed magazine article that labels him a high-ranking powerbroker, Dougherty's windows offer a view of a busy Philadelphia street. Silence is scarce as workers move in and out of the room.

Now head down to South Philly, to 12th and Tasker and the local headquarters of one Vincent Fumo, 59, an entrenched political powerhouse. Through a couple hallways and behind three secure doors, Fumo does his legislative paperwork at a deep, dark cherrywood desk, which sits behind a presidential floor seal. Thick wooden doors are drawn shut to offer bunkerlike privacy. A bed of surveillance-camera monitors transmits black-and-white images from outside the office.

THE SUPPORTERS OF UNION BOSS Dougherty consider him a man of the people, *a local who didn't abandon his South Philadelphia roots and a leader who's out to make life better for the little guy. He sees himself the same way.

Longtime state Sen. Fumo knows the art of the deal, bases his political existence on the mantra of doing whatever it takes to get things done, makes no bones about showing people he's been a force to be reckoned with for quite some time.

Dougherty, who lives in a row house in his childhood neighborhood, dropped out of La Salle University when family life came calling. That routed him toward a career as an electrician and a union man, which later brought political opportunity. None would be bigger than the union support he was able to deliver for the current mayor three years ago, a victory that goes a long way toward explaining his current pull in political circles.

Fumo, a Mensa-credentialed genius, calls a Fairmount mansion home. He built his fortune in real estate, and after getting a law degree from Temple and an M.B.A. from Wharton, chaired the bank his grandfather founded. His political career started 34 years ago, beginning as a Democratic committeeman in South Philly. Today he holds the commonwealth's purse strings as the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He's often referred to as the most powerful man in Philadelphia politics.

Not long ago these prominent Democrats were allies who helped get candidates elected to City Council and worked together against John Street in the 1999 Democratic primary. Now they're foes headed toward a showdown as next year's council and mayoral campaign seasons come into clear view.

In fact, Dougherty and Fumo's battles--which have included allegations of attempted home invasions, potted plants set ablaze, people hit by trucks and personal attacks delivered via fliers and banners--have made for juicy headlines and great copy these last few months. (They were among a number of issues that arose during a pair of interviews with PW two weeks ago.)

Most recently, Bob Brady, their Democratic party chairman, called a powwow in an effort to keep bridges from being burned beyond repair.

To explain the falling out between Dougherty and Fumo, the logical place to start is May 1999, when John Street defeated Marty Weinberg to become the Democratic nominee for mayor. Both Dougherty--known as "Johnny Doc" to his loyalists--and Fumo backed Weinberg. But when the polls showed Weinberg was out of the race, Dougherty jumped.

"I want to be the first person to walk [Street] down Two Street," Dougherty spokesperson Larry Ceisler recalls the union boss saying on primary election night.

Fumo stayed neutral, even after Street moved on to face Katz in the general election.

With the 3,500-member union's support behind him, Street eked out a 9,447-vote win.

He and Dougherty have been growing closer ever since. Once in office, Mayor Street--who's called Dougherty a "great public servant and key political supporter"--tapped Local 98 officials for some jobs, including one at the Parking Authority. He also invited Dougherty, an Irish Catholic, to Rome for the canonization Mass of Mother Katharine Drexel.