The Daily Populous Saturday July 4th, 2026 evening edition
Authored by foxnews.com and submitted by kirby__000

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

President Donald Trump on Friday announced full executive pardons for more than half a dozen people he claims were "persecuted" by the Biden administration for simply "fixing their car."

In a Truth Social post Friday afternoon, the president took aim at federal prosecutions he characterized as part of the "Weaponization and Stupidity" of the prior administration, saying, "I AM SETTING THEM ALL FREE, RIGHT NOW!"

Those who received clemency were charged after circumventing emissions control regulations that are no longer in effect, a White House official told Fox News Digital.

They include: Joshua Davis; Matt Geouge; Jonathan Achtemeier; Tim Clancy; Ryan and Wade Lalone; Barry Pierce; Aaron Rudolf; and Mackenzie Spurlock.

FORMER INDIANA REP STEPHEN BUYER RECEIVES FULL PARDON FROM TRUMP FOR 2023 INSIDER TRADING CONVICTION

The pardons align with Trump’s broader push to defend the "right to repair."

Earlier in the week, he signed a presidential memo designed to make it easier for Americans to repair their own vehicles by protecting self-repair rights and opening up options for aftermarket parts.

"It came to my attention because I noticed they were arresting people for fixing their car," Trump said during an Oval Office news conference. "We rule by common sense."

The executive clemency follows the high-profile federal environmental case involving Elite Diesel Service Inc. and its owner, Troy Lake Sr.

Lake received a full and unconditional pardon Nov. 7, 2025, wiping away his conviction in the case United States v. Elite Diesel Service, Inc. et al.

WATCH: TRUMP EPA CHIEF SPARKS EXPLOSIVE HEARING SHOWDOWN OVER GLOBAL WARMING ALARM FROM DEMS: 'I'M TALKING'

According to federal plea agreements, Elite Diesel had instructed employees to disable computerized on-board diagnostic systems on at least 344 heavy-duty commercial trucks between January 2017 and December 2020.

The diagnostic systems are federally mandated under the Clean Air Act to monitor emissions control systems.

Lake was sentenced on Dec. 5, 2024, to more than a year in prison and a $2,500 fine. The company was put on probation for five years, ordered to pay a fine of $37,500 and required to make a $12,500 payment to a Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment program designed to repair emissions systems for low-income drivers.

REPUBLICANS DECLARE WAR ON 'ORGANIZED THEFT' WITH GOVERNMENT FRAUD CRACKDOWN

Government prosecutors also argued that Elite Diesel's co-conspirators, other diesel truck garages and fleets, hired Lake's company to manipulate the computers so that emission system malfunctions would go undetected, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado.

The EPA’s sprawling investigation ultimately swept up eight alleged co-conspirator garages and fleets across seven states, including Kansas, North Dakota and Oklahoma.

The businesses were ordered to pay heavy fines and fund local community service projects, such as buying clean school buses or electric groundskeeping equipment to offset environmental impacts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

At the time, Biden administration officials defended the criminal prosecutions as essential for public health.

EPA Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent Lance Ehrig accused the defendants of leading a "large-scale conspiracy" that "diminished air quality."

A study cited by the prosecution claimed the tampered trucks collectively released more than 1,300 tons of excess nitrogen oxides and other pollutants into the air.

jmarinara on July 4th, 2026 at 12:36 UTC »

I’m a big supporter of “right to repair”. It should be possible to repair your own vehicle or machine without relying on the manufacturer and having to pay them fees each time.

But this isn’t repair, it’s cheating the test.

LITTLE-GUNTER on July 4th, 2026 at 12:34 UTC »

"right to repair?" are we fucking serious, fox news? DEF system deletes are not "right to repair."

MindStalker on July 4th, 2026 at 12:10 UTC »

The guys prosecuted where selling and installing air quality cheats for others. This wasn't someone repairing their own cars.