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President Donald Trump announced pardons for two Alaska diesel mechanics during a midterm rally Tuesday night in Wasilla, bringing the men onstage to sign clemency documents as he highlighted major energy investments and infrastructure projects in the Last Frontier.
Trump identified Zachary Czubak and Patrick Fleming, two co-owners of an Anchorage diesel repair shop who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act in 2022.
“I’m giving each one of the three an unconditional pardon,” Trump told supporters, also referring to an earlier pardon for Mackenzie “Mac” Spurlock, a Wasilla diesel shop owner.
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President Donald Trump arrives to speak during a campaign rally at Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center on Tuesday in Wasilla, Alaska. (AFP via Getty Images)
The president defended the men, saying their work helped keep trucks operating in Alaska’s extreme cold and arguing that their Biden-era prosecutions were unfair.
According to the Biden Justice Department, Czubak and Fleming were among three co-owners of “Arm Rippin Toys” who admitted removing federally required emissions-control equipment and tampering with monitoring devices on at least 37 diesel vehicles between July 2019 and September 2020.
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Supporters listen as President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center on Tuesday in Wasilla, Alaska. (AFP via Getty Images)
The shop collected approximately $100,000 for the modifications, federal prosecutors said at the time.
As he signed the clemency documents, Trump took a jab at former President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen.
“So I’m going to sign this now, something that Joe Biden would be unable to do because he was unable to sign his signature,” Trump said.
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President Donald Trump greets supporters as he arrives to speak during a campaign rally ahead of next month’s midterms at Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center on Tuesday in Wasilla, Alaska. (AFP via Getty Images)
He also shared candidly the privilege of the presidential pardon power with the crowd.
“What an honor. I love doing this stuff,” Trump said.
One of the men thanked the president from the stage, describing the personal impact of the prosecution.
“It really did destroy us. It destroyed friendships. It destroyed families,” he said.
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The pardons came during a rally in which Trump made a series of major announcements about Alaska’s energy future, including declaring that a long-awaited 800-mile natural gas pipeline had secured every necessary federal permit.
“Every single permit that you need, you can start tonight,” Trump told the crowd. “Every single permit that you need has been granted.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for additional details on the project’s federal permitting status.