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Trump isn't expected to pardon Joe Arpaio on Tuesday

Posted at 2:56 PM, Aug 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-22 20:18:39-04

President Donald Trump isn't expected to take action Tuesday on a possible pardon of former Sheriff Joe Arpaio's conviction for intentionally disobeying a judge's order in an immigration case.

 

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that the president would take no action Tuesday on Arpaio as Trump plans to appear in the evening at a rally in downtown Phoenix.

 

The president said eight days ago that he was considering a pardon of Arpaio's misdemeanor contempt of court conviction for intentionally defying a judge's order to stop his traffic patrols that targeted immigrants.

Longtime critics of the retired sheriff say a pardon would remove the last chance at holding Arpaio legally accountable for a long history of misconduct during his 24 years as metro Phoenix's top law enforcer. They cited a racial profiling verdict against the sheriff's office, allegations that Arpaio retaliated against his political foes and other alleged misconduct.

Arpaio said he wasn't disappointed that a pardon wouldn't be issued Tuesday. "No, no," Arpaio said. "They just decided not to do it tonight. We'll have to see if and when it occurs in the future."

Arpaio said he wasn't expecting a pardon so soon. "I believe his comments, made a little over a week ago, didn't have any bearing about this rally tonight," Arpaio said.

Trump and Arpaio became linked during the 2016 campaign for their like-minded views on immigration. Both politicians also have questioned the authenticity of then-President Barack Obama's birth certificate and have a similar history in sparring with judges.

Arpaio's violation of the 2011 court order is believed to have contributed to his 2016 loss to little-known retired Phoenix police Sgt. Paul Penzone.

As it now stands, Arpaio is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 5. The 85-year-old faces up to six months in jail, though attorneys who have followed the case doubt someone his age would be incarcerated.