John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty’s prison sentence commuted by President Trump, lawyer says

Updated on: September 3, 2026 / 10:51 PM EDT / CBS Philadelphia

Former Philadelphia labor leader John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty was granted an early release from prison after President Trump agreed to sign a commutation to end his six-year sentence early, his attorney George Bochetto confirmed to CBS News Philadelphia Thursday.

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 found guilty in November 2021 in his first trial on counts of bribery and fraud in connection with using former Councilmember Bobby Henon to advance work and projects for IBEW Local 98.

Dougherty was sentenced to six years in prison in July 2024 and has four years left in his sentence.

As of Thursday night, records on the Office of the Pardon Attorney website do not yet show a commutation approval. The agency's website shows Mr. Trump denied a commutation of sentence for Dougherty in July.

"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 said. "Cecilia Dougherty is in desperate need of care. Her…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/