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President Trump Commutes Sentence of Former Philadelphia Union Leader John Dougherty

President Trump signed a commutation of the federal prison sentence for former Philadelphia labor leader John Dougherty on Thursday. The decision allows the longtime union leader, known as "Johnny Doc," to be released from prison early. John Dougherty led Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for nearly three decades. He was sentenced to six years in federal prison following convictions for bribery and embezzling nearly $600,000 from the union. His attorney, George Bochetto, stated that the commutation was a gesture of compassion, allowing Dougherty to return home to care for his gravely ill wife, Cecilia. While the administration announced the commutation, the exact terms of the release were not immediately specified. However, George Bochetto noted that the commutation keeps Dougherty's conviction intact but relieves him of the requirement to pay approximately $1.6 million in restitution. George Bochetto highlighted that the move was particularly significant because Dougherty was a prominent Democratic politician, while President Trump is a Republican. Ryan Boyer and City Councilmember Jimmy Harrity expressed their happiness for the release, while Mark Lynch Jr. noted that the union's focus remains on its future operations.

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