After 4 years in prison for bribery, Rick Mariano has advice for Bobby Henon

Former Philadelphia Councilman Rick Mariano, who served four years in federal prison for accepting bribes while in office, urged Bobby Henon, who was also convicted on federal bribery and conspiracy charges on Monday, to resign.

“I would resign today from council. Come talk to me for a couple of hours, then go and turn yourself in there,” Mariano said. “But he won’t do that. He’ll hang to the end and it’s going to be rough. It’s going to be different for the rest of his life.”

Mariano said Henon will have to get used to being incarcerated and forget about the manners he learned while in office.

“As an elected official or any kind of politician you want to be friendly to people. Big mistake in prison,” Mariano said. “Keep to yourself. Go to the chapel. Go to the gym. Don’t tell nobody your business and stay out of the nonsense.”

Mariano said after he left prison his marriage ended and he couldn’t find work.  He believes Henon will at least have a chance at a job and he will need one since he will lose at least his city pension as a result of the conviction.

Prosecutors said Dougherty kept Henon, a union electrician-turned-Philadelphia City Council member, on the payroll to help his union keep a tight grip on construction jobs.

Their convictions follow a lengthy FBI investigation of activities within the chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers that Dougherty leads, but will not mark the end of Dougherty’s legal woes.

Dougherty still faces at least one more federal trial based on charges in the sweeping 2019 indictment.

Dougherty was convicted of eight counts, including conspiracy and honest services wire fraud, while Henon was convicted of 10 counts, including conspiracy, bribery, and honest services wire fraud.