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🇺🇸 United States /Crime & Justice

Trump Commutes Former Philadelphia Labor Leader Johnny Doc’s Prison Sentence

From CBS News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • President Donald Trump agreed to commute John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty’s six-year federal sentence, his attorney said, allowing the former Philadelphia labor leader to seek early release.
  • Dougherty was convicted of bribing a city councilmember and embezzling about $600,000 from IBEW Local 98, and had four years remaining on his sentence.
  • Prosecutors opposed his release, while federal records had not yet reflected approval and the White House had not confirmed the commutation.

Former Philadelphia labor leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty could leave prison early so he can care for his gravely ill wife, according to his attorney, George Bochetto.

Bochetto told CBS News Philadelphia that President Donald Trump had signed a commutation ending the remainder of Dougherty’s six-year sentence. Dougherty had served two years and had four years left. His attorney said Cecilia Dougherty’s money for private nursing care had run out and that she urgently needed her husband beside her.

President Trump has signed a commutation so that Johnny Doc can be released from prison to take care of his gravely ill wife, Cecilia Dougherty.

· George BochettoDougherty’s attorney announced the stated reason for the commutation.

Dougherty was convicted in 2023 of bribing a city councilmember and embezzling about $600,000 from Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He was also convicted in a 2021 trial on bribery and fraud charges involving former Councilmember Bobby Henon and work and projects for Local 98. A judge sentenced him in July 2024.

Cecilia Dougherty is in desperate need of care. Her money has run out for private nursing, and she desperately needs John by her side. And that’s why now.

· George BochettoBochetto explained why he said Dougherty needed to be released immediately.

Bochetto said he received a call from the White House on Thursday afternoon and expected Dougherty to be released from the federal penitentiary in Lewisburg on Friday morning. He said a team would meet Dougherty and take him to his wife.

Dougherty led IBEW Local 98 for nearly 30 years and served as a longtime Democratic power broker in Pennsylvania politics. Bochetto praised Trump for rising above partisan politics, noting that Dougherty was an icon of Democratic politics while Trump is a Republican. Prosecutors had opposed the request, saying Dougherty had not served enough of his sentence. As of Thursday night, the Office of the Pardon Attorney’s records did not show an approved commutation, and its website listed Trump as having denied Dougherty’s commutation request in July. The White House had not responded to a request for confirmation.

We are all just so grateful to President Trump, who really has risen above politics.

· George BochettoThe attorney praised Trump’s decision despite Dougherty’s role in Democratic politics.
About this summary

Originally published by CBS News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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