After weeks of speculation whether Trump would pardon sheriff Joe Arpaio - who on July 31 was found guilty of defying a court order barring officers from stopping Latino drivers on suspicion they were in US illegally, bringing his tenure as a crusader against illegal immigration to an end - as he hinted at the recent Phoenix rally, or if he would, as the NYT claimed, not interfere in the legal process, moments ago - in what is now a record-setting Friday night for the sheer barrage of news - the White House announced that Donald Trump would pardon sheriff Joe Arpaio.
President Trump Pardons Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Today, President Donald J. Trump granted a Presidential pardon to Joe Arpaio, former Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona. Arpaio's life and career, which began at the age of 18 when he enlisted in the military after the outbreak of the Korean War, exemplify selfless public service. After serving in the Army, Arpaio became a police officer in Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas NV and later served as a Special Agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), formerly the Bureau of Narcotics. After 25 years of admirable service, Arpaio went on to lead the DEA's branch in Arizona.
In 1992, the problems facing his community pulled Arpaio out of retirement to return to law enforcement. He ran and won a campaign to become Sheriff of Maricopa County. Throughout his time as Sheriff, Arpaio confirmed his life's work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration. Sheriff Joe Arpaio is now eighty-five years old, and after more than fifty years of admirable service to our Nation, he is worthy candidate for a Presidential pardon.
In immediate response, Sheriff Arpaio told NBC that he believes he is vindicated by Trump's pardon, and looks forward to sharing his story.
JUST IN: Sheriff Arpaio believes he is vindicated by Pres. Trump's pardon, and looks forward to sharing his story, he tells @VaughnHillyard.
— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) August 26, 2017
Curious for more? Here is the NYT with "Why Trump Can't Pardon Arpaio" although a just as interesting, if missing, read would have been "why Bill Clinton can't pardon Marc Rich. "