Trump commutes sentence for former Philadelphia union official, attorney says
President Trump Commutes Sentence of Former Union Business Manager
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed a commutation that will release John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty from prison and relieve him of a $1.6 million restitution obligation. The former International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 business manager will no longer be subject to monitoring or house arrest and will be allowed to live as a free man.
Dougherty, who was sentenced in 2024 to six years in federal prison, had been found guilty of embezzling union funds and of participating in a corrupt scheme that funneled payments to a Philadelphia City Council member. The Justice Department described Dougherty as having “backslapped his electricians with one hand, while ripping them off with the other,” and added that the official had also defrauded Philadelphians through a quid‑pro‑quo arrangement with Councilman Bobby Henon. The statements came from U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, who praised investigators and prosecutors for upholding integrity and the rule of law.
“We want to thank all of the investigators, analysts, prosecutors, and staff who partnered on this case,” Romero said at the time of the sentencing. “Our city and its workers deserve so much better than union bosses and politicians whose true priority is looking out for number one.”
According to Dougherty’s lawyer, George Bochetto, the presidential action was prompted in part by Dougherty’s need to care for his gravely ill wife, Cecilia Dougherty. “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,” Bochetto told CBS News Philadelphia. The commutation removes the requirement that Dougherty pay the restitution and eliminates any conditions of house arrest or electronic monitoring.
The White House released a brief statement confirming the commutation, while Fox News Digital and the Philadelphia Inquirer obtained the details from Bochetto and from the Office of the U.S. Attorney. The decision, which was announced on the same day Dougherty’s lawyer appeared in the press, marks a significant shift in the enforcement of federal criminal penalties for union officials.
Dougherty’s release comes as the IBEW and the city of Philadelphia are grappling with the fallout from the case. The union, which represents more than 350,000 workers nationwide, has been criticized for its handling of the investigation and for the apparent disconnect between its public image and internal practices.
As Dougherty leaves prison, the broader debate over federal oversight of unions, the use of commutations by the executive branch, and the balance between punishment and rehabilitation continues to intensify.