In a move that we all should have seen coming, Donald Trump just pardoned Joe Arpaio (aka America’s most racist sheriff) after hinting at it for weeks.
Arpaio was found guilty of criminal contempt charges after continuing to harass and jail suspected illegal immigrants after ignoring a court order demanded that he stop his discriminatory practices immediately. Being that Trump has continually supported white supremacists, even after the tragedy that occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia, it should come as no surprise that he is choosing to stand by Arpaio.
A statement issued by the White House gushed over the convicted sheriff, praising his “selfless public service” and “admirable service.”
Sheriff Arpaio is now eighty-five years old, and after more than fifty years of admirable service to our Nation, he i a worthy candidate for a Presidential pardon,” the statement concluded.
Arpaio has been an avid supporter of Trump since the very beginning and has long believed that Obama’s birth certificate was fake. At a recent campaign rally, our Bigot in Chief said that he was sure Arpaio was going to be just fine despite having been convicted of using his badge to persecute people of color.
I’ll make a prediction. I think [Arpaio]’s going to be just fine, OK? But I won’t do it tonight because I don’t want to cause any controversy,” Trump said this week in Arizona, hinting again at a pardon. “Is that OK? … But Sheriff Joe can feel good.”
As sheriff of Maricopa County from 1993 to 2016, Arpaio made a name for himself with racial profiling techniques that included jailing suspected illegal immigrants in a”Tent City.” In 2013, a federal judge ruled that his disgusting tactics were discriminatory and clearly violated the Civil Rights Act.
Arpaio gave zero f*cks and continued to persecute people that he thought were too dark skinned to actually be American citizens, which resulted in a contempt charge. Arpaio was found guilty on July 31st, but thanks to Trump he won’t have to worry about the consequences of his actions. As they say, birds of a feather flock together.
You can read the entire WHite House statement on Arpaio’s pardon below:
Trump pardons arpaio! pic.twitter.com/t7DEWHyzLW
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) August 26, 2017
Featured image via Scott Olson/Getty Images
