PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence for longtime Philadelphia union leader John Dougherty. He is set to be released on Friday.
Dougherty’s attorney George Bocchetto said the president signed the commutation in “a remarkable show of bipartisanship.” Dougherty was a kingmaker in Democratic city politics, but Bocchetto said his situation — serving time in Lewisburg federal prison, separated from his gravely ill wife Cecilia — cried out for compassion.
The Trump administration had rejected Dougherty’s pleas for compassionate release as recently as two months ago, but Bocchetto said he persisted, sending documents and videos to demonstrate Dougherty’s need for release.
Dougherty was sentenced to six years for corruption, bribery and embezzlement and has served less than two.
Dougherty’s successor as head of the Building Trades Council, Ryan Boyer, welcomed the news.
He said he considered the federal case “over prosecution” and said Trump had righted a wrong. Democratic City Committee Chair Bob Brady was also happy. He said Dougherty will be with his sick wife, which is where he belongs.
