Trump Pardons Arpaio, the Arizona Sheriff Who Defied Court Order to Halt Racial Profiling

Breaking news. This will be updated.WASHINGTON -- President Trump issued a pardon Friday night for Joe Arpaio, the controversial Arizona lawman facing jail time for defying court orders to stop using racial profiling to harass Hispanics.Trump hinted that he would pardon "Sheriff Joe," who supported him in his campaign, during a raucous rally in Phoenix on Tuesday night.The White House released the announcement at 8 p.m. Friday night in Washington, with the president relaxing with family at Camp David and the nation on edge about a monster Category 4 Hurricane Harvey bearing down on the Texas coast.The statement from the White House:"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 continued 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."  Continue reading...