Ex-sheriff Joe Arpaio found guilty of criminal contempt of court

[GMDino]

At 10pm on a Friday night...with a Hurricane about to hit Texas the POTUS released the following tweet:

I am pleased to inform you that I have just granted a full Pardon to 85 year old American patriot Sheriff Joe Arpaio. He kept Arizona safe!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017

That should tell you everything you need to know.

Quote: President Trump has pardoned former Sheriff Joe Arpaio from his criminal contempt conviction, removing the only legal consequences the lawman faced stemming from a racial-profiling suit.


The White House announced the pardon Friday evening in a news release that recounted Arpaio's lengthy career of "admirable service" in federal and local law enforcement and called him "a worthy candidate for a Presidential pardon."

Reached moments after the announcement, Arpaio said, "I'm very appreciative of the president issuing that pardon. It shows how he backs up law enforcement."

Arpaio told The Arizona Republic he learned of the pardon at Friday afternoon from his lawyer, who visited him at Arpaio's Phoenix-area home. The lawyer delivered Arpaio's wife, Ava, a birthday gift, and "the other gift was the pardon," said Arpaio, who said they planned to celebrate over a dinner of spaghetti with calamari and red wine at a favorite Italian restaurant.

Quote:[/url]

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Joe Arpaio @RealSheriffJoe
Thank you @realdonaldtrump for seeing my conviction for what it is: a political witch hunt by holdovers in the Obama justice department!
9:07 PM - Aug 25, 2017

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Arpaio hints at comeback

Arpaio, who lost a 2016 re-election bid ending 24 years in office, also hinted at a political comeback, "I don't know what I'm going to do politically. I told my wife that I was through with politics. But now I've decided I'm not through with politics because of what's happening. I didn't ask for a pardon. It has nothing to do with a pardon. I've been saying this for the last couple of months. I've got a lot to offer."

Arpaio, 85, was convicted of criminal contempt on July 31, and was scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 5. He faced up to six months in jail. 

But Trump had hinted recently that a pardon would be forthcoming, including at his Tuesday rally in Phoenix.

Trump and Arpaio have enjoyed a cozy relationship since the early days of Trump’s campaign. They share a hardline stance on immigration, and Arpaio was one of the earliest public figures to offer Trump his full-throated endorsement.

Weeks of speculation
Arpaio, who was convicted of criminal contempt on July 31, broached the topic of a presidential pardon himself two weeks later. He wondered aloud to a conservative blog where Trump was in his time of need, and told The Arizona Republic and other media outlets that he would welcome the relief.

Many Democrats and members of local immigrant communities voiced dismay Friday at word of the pardon. 

"Today’s announcement from President Trump is yet another display of disrespect to the Latino community in Arizona. During Joe Arpaio’s 24 years as the sheriff in Maricopa County, he abused his position of authority to drive a personal agenda that promoted racism," said members of the Arizona Latino Legislative Caucus.

More: Analysis: Trump's bold Joe Arpaio pardon breaks with presidential tradition
More: With Joe Arpaio free, 5 things to know about presidential pardons

Carlos Garcia, director of the immigrants rights group Puente, said by pardoning Arpaio Trump is showing he supports racial profiling.
Puente organized in 2007 during the height of Arpaio’s immigration crackdown on day laborers. Many of Puente’s hundreds of members were detained during his workplace raids and sent to immigration detention.

When the criminal contempt charges against Arpaio were announced they had felt “a little vindicated,” Garcia said.

Trump’s pardon is an insult to victims of Arpaio’s policing practices, he said. “Now he’s just spitting in their face, disregarding their pain and how they suffered in the hands of Arpaio.

U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., said, "I am dismayed by the President's decision to pardon Joe Arpaio. Arpaio hurt Arizonans and cost taxpayers a great amount of grief and money. He should be held accountable. No one is above the law."

'He's gonna be just fine'

The pardon seemed all but inevitable after Trump's fiery speech at the Phoenix Convention Center.

“Was Sheriff Joe convicted for doing his job?” Trump asked the crowd, which was answered with a roar. “He should’ve had a jury, but you know what? I’ll make a prediction. I think he’s gonna be just fine, OK?”

Trump then said he wouldn’t do it that evening because he didn’t want to cause “controversy.”

Aug. 14 was the first time Trump spoke publicly about the issue, saying during a Fox News interview that he was “seriously considering” a get-out-of-jail-card for the former sheriff.

Many conservative Republicans voiced their approval.

U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., called Arpaio’s prosecution partisan and welcomed the pardon, saying in a statement that it “reflects the very reason we voted President Trump into the Oval Office, to uphold the rule of law.”

Yes, the "rule of law".  That's sure what Trump is upholding there.... 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/08/25/president-trump-pardons-former-sheriff-joe-arpaio/604139001/