A disgraced ex-Long Island union boss was spared prison Tuesday, after President Donald Trump issued a last-minute pardon less than 24 hours before he was set to be sentenced.
James Callahan, a 65-year-old Lindenhurst native and former top labor leader of the International Union of Operating Engineers, was set to be sentenced Wednesday by US District Judge Ana Reyes.
But on Tuesday, Callahan’s attorney, David Schertler, notified Reyes that his client had received a “full and unconditional” pardon from the President, with his sentence in a temporary state of suspension until prosecutors file a formal request to dismiss the case, court records show.
Schertler said his client was “extremely grateful for President Donald Trump’s consideration and pardon and the opportunity to get back his life and his reputation after devoting over 40 years to the cause of organized labor and the members of the International Union of Operating Engineers and their families.”
Trump has so far provided no reason as to why he decided to issue a pardon for Callahan, who prosecutors had only recommended a six-month prison sentence for.
“No MAGA left behind,” Trump’s pardon attorney Ed Martin Jr. posted on X Monday as the President commuted a slew of sentences this week — but it’s unclear if Callahan fits that bill.
There’s no record he ever supported or donated to Trump in the past, and his union actually backed both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris over Trump in the last election while he was still in charge, according to records.
The judge, however, expressed that she was “quite disappointed” to learn of Callahan’s pardon, noting he had accepted responsibility for his criminal conduct, according to a transcript of Wednesday’s hearing.
In January, Callahan pleaded guilty to failing to report over $315,000 he scored in tickets to games, concerts, shows and other financial perks from a company that did business with his union.
As part of the plea deal, Callahan — who prosecutors say has a net worth of more than $5 million — agreed to repay the union and step down as president.
“The Operating Engineers were unknowingly funding Defendant Callahan’s spree of pricey entertainments — a lifestyle his substantial salary could easily accommodate,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing recommendation, calling him “one of the most powerful union leaders in the country.”
The Justice Department is now expected to file a motion to dismiss the case.
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