City Councilman Bobby Henon (D-6th dist.) resigned Thursday, a month before he is to be sentenced following his conviction on 10 counts of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, honest services wire fraud and federal program bribery.
Henon submitted his resignation to Council President Darrell Clarke, and it was effective at 8 a.m.
“I am grateful to the residents of the 6th District for allowing me to serve as Councilman for the past 10 years. I worked hard each and every day to be an outspoken and bold advocate for the hardworking people of the 6th district, but I could not have done it without the support and engagement of community leaders and residents,” Henon said in a statement.
Henon, 53, will be sentenced on Feb. 22 [although that date could be pushed back] by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Schmehl, who oversaw the jury trial of the councilman and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98 union leader John Dougherty, who was also convicted and resigned his post.
Henon’s trial centered on the salary he was paid by the union while in Council, with the government saying he acted on the wishes of Dougherty.
A special election will be called for Henon’s seat, probably at the same time as the May 17 primary. State Rep. Mike Driscoll is expected to be the Democratic nominee.
Henon, at least for now, will remain as Democratic leader of the 65th Ward.
Henon’s office at 6730 Torresdale Ave. will remain open weekdays.
Henon pointed to the following accomplishments:
• Opening the Torresdale Avenue office, which serves hundreds of constituents each week.
• Increasing funding for police officer positions for the 15th Police District and investing millions of dollars in new facilities for the 15th and 2nd police districts.
• Helping thousands of kids get 60 minutes of heart rate-elevating play time at recreation centers and summer camps.
• Investing millions of dollars in parks and recreation facilities.
• Hosting dozens of programs and events for older adults.
• Training and certifying hundreds of people in CPR.
• Helping to increase access to critical resources like emergency food supplies and diapers during the pandemic by forming coalitions of service providers who invested time and resources into serving the Northeast.
• Helping bring new jobs to the Northeast by supporting responsible development and small businesses.
“Although my time in Philadelphia City Council is coming to an end, my dedication to Northeast Philadelphia will never diminish. I will remain, as ever, committed to a life of service. Thank you, Philadelphia! May God bless and keep you.”
Mayor Jim Kenney made the following statement:
“Given the circumstances, I believe Councilman Henon’s resignation today is the right decision. With so many pressing challenges facing Philadelphia, it is critical that City leaders — including our partners in City Council — remain focused squarely on the needs and priorities of our residents.
“As I’ve said before, I’ve always believed that Councilmember Henon would do what he feels is right for his constituents, for the people of Philadelphia, and for the entire city. While he must now face the consequences of his past decisions, it is important to evaluate the entirety of a person’s contributions to public service throughout their whole career. He has been a consistent, strong advocate for the working families of Philadelphia throughout his ten years of service on City Council.” ••
