“Republican” Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake are criticizing President Trump’s decision to pardon former law-and-order Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Arpaio was prosecuted by the Obama Justice Department, The Hill reports:
Arpaio had been found guilty in a Justice Department investigation of racially profiling Latinos. He was convicted July 31 of criminal contempt for disobeying a federal judge’s order on detaining individuals suspected of being in the U.S. illegally.
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
“I am please to inform you that I have just granted a full Pardon to 85 year old American patriot Sheriff Joe Arpaio. He kept Arizona safe!” the president tweeted.
But Republican Sens. McCain and Flake were less impressed by the reprieve for the lawman.
.@POTUS's pardon of Joe Arpaio, who illegally profiled Latinos, undermines his claim for the respect of rule of law https://t.co/2FckGtwQ2m
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) August 26, 2017
““No one is above the law and the individuals entrusted with the privilege of being sworn law officers should always seek to be beyond reproach in their commitment to fairly enforcing the laws they swore to uphold,” McCain lectured in a news release.
“Mr. Arpaio was found guilty of criminal contempt for continuing to illegally profile Latinos living in Arizona based on their perceived immigration status in violation of a judge’s orders. The President has the authority to make this pardon, but doing so at this time undermines his claim for the respect of rule of law as Mr. Arpaio has shown no remorse for his actions.”
Flake was more nuanced in his finger wagging.
Regarding the Arpaio pardon, I would have preferred that the President honor the judicial process and let it take its course.
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) August 26, 2017
“Regarding the Arpaio pardon, I would have preferred that the President honor the judicial process and let it take its course,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, Arpaio took to Twitter to thank Trump:
Thank you @realdonaldtrump for seeing my conviction for what it is: a political witch hunt by holdovers in the Obama justice department!
— Sheriff Joe Arpaio (@RealSheriffJoe) August 26, 2017
“Thank you @realDonaldTrump for seeing my conviction for what it is: a political witch hunt by holdovers in the Obama justice department!” he wrote.
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