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President Donald Trump signed pardons Friday for six people. They faced federal emissions convictions. Trump called their cases political persecution. He also said they showed government overreach under the Biden administration. The move adds to a growing list of pardons in his second term. Reports also say he is weighing pardons for several well-known figures, including rapper Sean Combs.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social. He called the six people victims of what he described as the weaponization of the Justice Department. He said they had gone to prison for fixing their cars. White House officials said the convictions came from violations of the Clean Air Act. That law governs vehicle emissions and air pollution standards.
What the six people were actually convicted of
The cases centered on defeat devices. These are software or hardware changes that get around federally required emissions controls. Vehicles that use these devices emit more pollution than the law allows. Making, selling or installing such parts violates federal law.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department told federal prosecutors to drop pending criminal cases involving defeat devices. That move showed a broader shift in how the administration planned to handle these prosecutions. Friday’s pardons lock in that shift for six people who had already faced conviction. Trump did not name any of the six or share details about their individual cases.
Senior officials handle the review process for pardon requests. That group includes White House Special Counsel David Warrington, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and US Pardon Attorney Ed Martin. They bring recommendations to the president for final approval.
Diddy and other celebrities reportedly in the mix
Combs and other well-known names were not part of Friday’s pardon slate. However, sources told CBS News that Trump has privately talked about possible pardons for Combs in recent days. The White House did not confirm whether Combs is under formal review.
Combs is serving a four-year federal sentence in New Jersey. A jury convicted him last year on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. His more serious charges included sex trafficking and racketeering. Those charges drew national attention throughout his trial. A jury cleared him on those counts. Trump told the New York Times in January that Combs had written to him directly asking for a pardon.
Combs is not the only name in the discussion. Trump is also reportedly weighing a pardon for Pras Michel, the Grammy-winning founding member of the Fugees. A jury convicted Michel in a foreign lobbying case.
What Trump’s pardon approach looks like in his second term
Trump has taken a more direct role in reviewing pardon requests during his second term. Friday’s action fits a pattern of using pardon power to undo prosecutions he frames as politically driven. The defeat device cases gave him a clear example tied to a story he has pushed since returning to office.
Whether celebrity pardon requests follow a similar path depends on what Trump decides in the weeks ahead. No timeline or official word exists for either the Combs or Michel decisions.
SOURCE: Forbes
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