Cease ire

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, two of the most powerful political figures in the city mended their fractured relationship.

U.S. Rep. Bob Brady played the part of cupid last week and may have ended what has been Philadelphia’s equivalent of the Hatfield-McCoy feud: the fight between state Sen. Vincent Fumo and Local 98 business manager John Dougherty.

After a couple of meetings and dinners, the South Philly natives declared they had put aside their differences.

"I believe it was just a lack of communication," Dougherty said Tuesday night about the nearly five-year-long quarrel with the First District senator. "A lot of the other peripheral stuff developed from the lack of communication. We just felt that it was better to pool our efforts at this present time."

Fumo spokesperson Gary Tuma said the accord is good for the Democratic Party in Philadelphia.

"A lot of energy went into these people beating each other over the head," Tuma said, "figuratively speaking."

Fumo had never been sure of the origins of the fight, but had always been willing to make peace, added Tuma.

Ten years ago, Dougherty and the senator considered each other allies. Dougherty used Fumo’s support to help him get elected leader of the electricians union.

Most say the rift began during the 1999 Democratic mayoral primary. Both powerbrokers had been supporting former Rizzo aide and South Philly native Marty Weinberg. Days before the election, Dougherty shifted his support to John Street.

Street and Dougherty, who is also treasurer of the Democratic City Committee, remain closely aligned.

Brady has arranged these peace summits before. Why this one worked is somewhat of a mystery.

There have been unconfirmed rumors that Dougherty would receive money for neighborhood projects through the Citizens Alliance for Better Neighborhoods, which Fumo helped found. And there are stories that Dougherty needs Fumo’s support to get a seat on the Board of City Trusts.

One source suggested that Dougherty might fear being the odd man out after Street leaves office in four years, or that the union leader is considering a run for mayor and does not want to be on the outs with the powerful senator.

But Dougherty said he and Fumo simply have common interests in South Philly, and should be working together.

He mentioned five concerns: relocation of the produce terminal, development at the Navy Yard, Convention Center expansion, waterfront development and construction of market-rate housing.

"I’m committed to living in this neighborhood," said Dougherty, who resides on the 1900 block of East Moyamensing Avenue. "A majority of my friends are here, a majority of the guys I work with are in this region … so a stronger South Philadelphia definitely benefits me."

He also expects the truce will last beyond the November election.

One of the newly reunited pair’s first moves was to gang up against Gov. Rendell, who also has had a falling out with Street. All three blasted the governor for signing legislation that allowed the state Republicans to maintain control of the Philadelphia Parking Authority.

Last week Rendell made the deal with Republican House Speaker John Perzel after, according to one source, he promised Democrats he would do the opposite. The governor would later call it a good deal for Philadelphia.

Dougherty and Fumo argued the authority’s control should have been restored to the city.

"Enforcement of parking statutes is a municipal function," said Tuma, Fumo’s spokesperson, "and it should stay a municipal function."

Dougherty’s own future in politics is uncertain. When they were fighting, Fumo repeatedly challenged Dougherty to run for office to no avail.

The union leader continues to say he will not seek office until the health of his wife, Cecelia, improves. She is undergoing treatment for arteriovenous malformation, a condition that affects blood vessels around the brain. On Tuesday, Dougherty said her condition is steadily improving.

"I am not paralyzed by politics," he said. "A whole lot of my future is determined by the health of my wife.

"But if I stayed the rest of my life representing people from South Philadelphia as president of Pennsport [Civic Association], or as business manager of Local 98 or as chairman of the Redevelopment Authority, it won’t hurt my feelings."

The news of the truce spread across South Philly’s political landscape and most local leaders agreed it was the best thing for the party.

"For the sake of the Democratic Party," said Councilman Frank DiCicco, "if we can get along and agree to disagree in a reasonable way, that’s fine by me."

DiCicco, who was aligned with Fumo during the feud, took his share of hits throughout, including a successful bid to prevent him from becoming the leader of the Second Ward and an unsuccessful attempt to take his Council seat.

The councilman was out of town for four days last week and said on Tuesday he had not spoken with Fumo about the issue.

Even though he said he did not expect his own relationship with Dougherty to be "a warm, fuzzy one," he seemed willing to give peace a chance.

DiCicco compared the situation to that of parents who get divorced: "Eventually, you mature and realize for the sake of the kids, it’s important to get along."

None of this applies to DiCicco’s relationship with Mayor Street. The councilman said his feelings about Dougherty and Fumo have never influenced his opinion of the Street administration and that he will continue to act according to what he believes are the best interests of the city and his district.

"If there are times I disagree with the mayor, I’m going to disagree," DiCicco said.

State Rep. Bill Keller’s political career began with Fumo’s help and he is a union man representing Dougherty’s Pennsport neighborhood in the capital.

Keller praised Brady as the only person in the party with enough clout to get the two men to work out their differences.

"When we’re done with this, I think we should pack [Brady] up and send him to the Middle East," Keller said.

Recent rumors suggested there had been a falling out between Keller and Fumo. Some even suggested the senator would back a candidate to challenge Keller for his seat in the state House of Representatives. The legislator denied that.

"This is democracy, people run. It’s not about things like that," Keller said. Fighting within the party is part of politics, he added, "but it’s not the part we should all be concentrating on."

Keller also called the new, improved relationship between Dougherty and Fumo good for the city and, specifically, South Philly. Now everyone can concentrate on getting Rendell to help Philadelphia, he said.