Trump pardons a labor union leader on the eve of sentencing for failing to report gifts

A labour national person who pleaded blameworthy to failing to study gifts from an advertizing steadfast has been pardoned by President Donald Trump connected the eve of his sentencing

WASHINGTON -- A labour national person who pleaded blameworthy to failing to study gifts from an advertizing steadfast was pardoned by President Donald Trump connected the eve of his sentencing proceeding Wednesday, tribunal records show.

James Callahan, of Lindenhurst, New York, was wide president of the International Union of Operating Engineers erstwhile helium accepted — but failed to decently study — receiving astatine slightest $315,000 successful tickets to sporting events and concerts and different amenities from a institution that the national utilized to spot ads.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes was scheduled to condemnation Callahan connected Wednesday. On Tuesday, however, Callahan's attorneys notified the court of Trump's “full and unconditional” pardon and asked for the sentencing proceeding to beryllium vacated. The pardon itself doesn't specify wherefore Trump granted him clemency.

The justice is holding Callahan’s condemnation “in abeyance” — a impermanent authorities of suspension — until prosecutors record a ceremonial petition to disregard the case, tribunal records show.

Ed Martin Jr., present the Justice Department's pardon attorney, was acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia erstwhile Callahan pleaded blameworthy connected Jan. 29 to knowingly filing mendacious yearly reports with the U.S. Labor Department.

Callahan’s lawyers and a spokesperson for Martin didn’t instantly respond to emails seeking comment.

Earlier this month, prosecutors had recommended a situation sentence of six months for Callahan, calling him "one of the astir almighty national leaders successful the country." They said Callahan's wage and different compensation topped $500,000 annually. Now retired and surviving successful Florida, helium has a nett worthy of much than $5 million, according to prosecutors.

“That the Operating Engineers were unknowingly backing Defendant Callahan’s spree of pricey entertainments — a manner his important wage could easy accommodate — is particularly condemning,” they wrote.

Callahan's plea statement required him to repay the national $315,000 for the tickets and to instantly resign arsenic national president.

“Those tickets and amenities decently belonged to the Operating Engineers, and yet Defendant Callahan utilized galore of those tickets personally and provided different tickets to members of his household and persons who were not members of the Operating Engineers,” prosecutors wrote.

The Washington-based national that Callahan led represents astir 400,000 dense machinery operators connected operation and concern sites passim the U.S. and Canada.

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