President issues 11 pardons ahead of Fourth of July

The president issued pardons to 11 men on Friday. Two recipients had prior fraud convictions; nine faced federal charges for disabling emissions controls on trucks. One recipient had been sentenced in 2006 for his role in acquiring gambling boats and had ties to a lobbying investigation from the early 2000s.

Another recipient received clemency based on his record of allowing military training on his property.

Act cases The nine Clean Air Act cases originated during the prior administration. Officials identified the individuals through court records and public statements. The president posted on a social media platform that the recipients were being punished for vehicle repairs. Days earlier, the administration issued a memo stating that vehicle owners could modify their vehicles as they wished.

Weather and event impacts Extreme heat warnings prompted cancellation of a planned Independence Day parade in Washington and temporary closure of a related fair on the National Mall. Organizers cited National Weather Service alerts for the decisions. The pardons form part of a larger set of clemency actions during the current term.