PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A fight between local union boss John Dougherty and a non-union member on a construction site is now being investigated by federal authorities.
Update: After this story aired on Action News at 5 Wednesday, John Dougherty's spokesman Frank Keel issued the following statement:
The original story continues:
Joshua Keesee, a non-union electrical contractor, is seen in the surveillance video during a bare-knuckled confrontation in South Philadelphia with Dougherty.
It took place January 21 outside a landmark auto repair shop at 3rd and Reid.
Keesee says Dougherty swung first, hitting him twice in the face and breaking his nose.
Dougherty claims he acted in self-defense when Keesee threatened him and his family.
Keesee has filed a criminal complaint against Dougherty and his union cohorts seen on the video.
"Dougherty approaches him and gives him a combination of a left to the nose and a right. He blocks the right and it grazes his head. The three guys jump in and they start punching him" Keesee's lawyer Robert Mozenter said.
The FBI and State Attorney General's Office have taken over the case after Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams bowed out because he has received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Dougherty and his union.
Keesee told his lawyer the union members had been harassing him as he worked on residential construction along 3rd Street and peppered him with racial slurs during the fisticuffs. Therefore, the FBI Civil Rights Division is involved.
"And it has to do with possible ethnic intimidation," Mozenter said.
Through his spokesman, Dougherty issued a statement that reads in part, "John Dougherty was not the aggressor. A non-union contractor on site, who was half John's age, made verbal threats..." to his wife and daughter.
Mozenter denies that allegation against Keesee.
As they wait for the outcome of these two criminal investigations, Keesee's lawyer tells Action News he is preparing a multi-million dollar lawsuit against John Dougherty and his union Local 98.
Full statement from John Doughtery through his spokesman: