President Donald Trump pardoned two Anchorage diesel mechanics onstage during a rally in Wasilla, Alaska. The men had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act for removing emissions equipment.
President Donald Trump granted clemency to two Alaska diesel mechanics during a campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, on Tuesday. Trump invited Zachary Czubak and Patrick Fleming onstage to sign pardon documents, framing their prosecution under the Biden-era Department of Justice as unfair.
Czubak and Fleming were co-owners of "Arm Rippin Toys," a diesel repair shop in Anchorage. According to the Biden Justice Department, the men pleaded guilty in November 2022 to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act. Prosecutors stated that between July 2019 and September 2020, the owners removed federally required emissions-control equipment and tampered with monitoring devices on at least 37 diesel vehicles. The shop collected approximately $100,000 for these modifications.
Neither man served prison time. US District Judge Sharon Gleason sentenced Czubak to five years of probation, a $66,000 fine, and 180 hours of community service. Fleming was ordered to pay a $66,000 fine. A third co-owner, Michael Wayne Hanzuk, also pleaded guilty in the same case but was not pardoned during the rally.
Trump defended the mechanics, arguing that their work helped keep trucks operating in Alaska's extreme cold. "I'm giving each one of the three an unconditional pardon," Trump told supporters, referring to Czubak, Fleming, and Mackenzie "Mac" Spurlock, a Wasilla diesel shop owner pardoned earlier. Trump also criticized former President Joe Biden, stating, "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."
One of the pardoned men addressed the crowd, describing the impact of the legal proceedings. "It really did destroy us. It destroyed friendships. It destroyed families," he said. Trump described the act as an honor, saying, "What an honor. I love doing this stuff."
The pardons occurred during a rally focused on energy investments, where Trump declared that an 800-mile natural gas pipeline had secured every necessary federal permit. "Every single permit that you need, you can start tonight," Trump said.
The pardons are part of a broader pattern of clemency for Clean Air Act violations. In early July, Trump pardoned nine people convicted of tampering with diesel emissions controls. While a pardon removes the federal conviction, it does not alter the underlying statute. The Environmental Protection Agency continues to treat the removal of emissions equipment as a breach of federal law. Business Upturn noted that Trump's characterization of the case as punishing men for "fixing an engine" contrasts with the record, which cites the removal of emissions equipment across dozens of vehicles for payment.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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