Full disclosure: I have a bias here because I share one common feature with former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. We are both former DEA agents. I never met Arpaio. When I was a young agent, I heard his name mentioned as the head of DEA's office in Mexico City. There is wide speculation that President Trump will announce a presidential pardon for Arpaio when he speaks at a rally in Arizona tomorrow. I hope he does.
In general, I don't support pardons unless there has been a miscarriage of justice. President Clinton's use of pardons as he was leaving office (including the Marc Rich pardon), was especially suspicious.
I am bothered by the pursuit of Arpaio by President Obama's Justice Department. After all, what he did was tell his deputies to enforce the law against illegal aliens and check the status of those they encountered. Apparently, he ran afoul of a judge's order not to do so. Now, after being convicted by a different judge, he faces 6 months in jail for misdemeanor contempt. He is 85 years old.
Don't get me wrong. I don't think anyone should be above the law- including law enforcement personnel who break the law. Cooperating with federal immigration officials regarding illegal aliens and checking their status doesn't seem like a crime to me. Maybe the judges should be investigated.
Arpaio has stated that he has not requested the pardon, but would accept it if given. I hope he gets it. His long record of public service (including the service he rendered in helping catch illegal aliens against a judge's orders) should be taken into account. Were he corrupt or he were helping conceal illegal aliens, I would have no sympathy. The nature of the "offense" is very troubling to me.
I hope President Trump gives Arpaio a pardon.
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