Pennsylvania Democrats Rocked By Indictment Of Top Political Boss

(Politico) HOLLY OTTERBEIN 01/31/2019 05:03 AM The indictment of one of Pennsylvanias most powerful behind-the-scenes political players is rattling Democrats in a state thats expected to be a key 2020 battleground. The bombshell charges announced Wednesday against building trades leader John Johnny Doc Dougherty a Philadelphia labor kingpin whose union is the single biggest independent source of campaign funding in the state threaten to sap statehouse and congressional Democrats of a mega-donor slow the partys momentum in the Philadelphia suburbs and sideline the man who orchestrated the Democratic takeover of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. That court radically redrew the states congressional map last year leading to the Democratic pickup of a handful of congressional seats in November. Doughertys tentacles spread so far that Republicans already think it could be a boon for President Donald Trumps election chances in 2020. Anytime theres a vacuum it gets filled and I believe theres an opportunity for the Republicans to take advantage of the fact that the Democratic machinery is minus one piece" said Charlie Gerow a Pennsylvania-based GOP consultant.