Trump pardons 2 auto workers on stage during rally in Alaska

President Trump during a political rally in the state late Tuesday granted onstage pardons to two Alaska auto shop owners who pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act — an unusually public use of the president's clemency power.

Czubak, Fleming and a third man named Michael Hanzuk owned an auto shop that specialized in diesel vehicles called Arm Rippin Toys, according to court records. Federal prosecutors say they offered to remove the emission control systems in customers' vehicles for a fee of $1,140 to $5,445, in part by modifying their physical components and preventing their diagnostics systems from noticing a problem, causing the vehicles to spew more pollutants.

During Tuesday's pre-midterm election rally in Wasilla, Mr. Trump called Czubak and Fleming onto the stage and said to an aide: "Bring me the pardons!"

Mr. Trump signed the pardons at the podium and handed them to Czubak and Fleming, drawing cheers from rallygoers as the president held one of the pardons up to the crowd.

The president said he was also "taking care of" a third person. He did not name the other person, but the third co-owner of Arm Rippin Toys, Hanzuk, received a pardon last month.

Czubak and Fleming briefly addressed the crowd, with Fleming saying the charges against the three "really did destroy us."

CBS News has reached out to Czubak, Fleming and Hanzuk's attorneys for comment.

Spurlock and his supporters, including GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, argue the engine modifications that he performed were necessary to prevent emissions systems from malfunctioning due to Alaska's frigid weather.

The Justice Department announced in January it would "no longer pursue criminal charges under the Clean Air Act based on allegations of tampering with onboard diagnostic devices."

Mr. Trump and members of his administration have railed against other environmental regulations, relaxing fuel economy standards and ending an EPA policy that gave credits to car manufacturers that installed start-stop emissions systems.

The president has also frequently used his pardon power to grant clemency to political allies and people who — like him — argue they were wrongly prosecuted.