Former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio announced his official bid to run for a seventh term as sheriff of Maricopa County – exactly two years after President Donald Trump pardoned him for criminal contempt arising from his hardline tactics against undocumented workers.
Known as ‘America’s toughest sheriff’, Arpaio shared his 2020 reelection statement in a press release on Twitter.
In the post, he acknowledged that his announcement was chosen intentionally to coincide with the day Trump pardoned him from the ‘scurrilous misdemeanor contempt charge filed by President Obama’s administration.’
Joe Arpaio announced on August 25 that he would be running for reelection in 2020 for sheriff in Maricopa County
If elected, Arpaio plans to reinstate his controversial Tent City jail, reinforce his ‘popular’ policies and bring back his ‘posse’.
Arpaio also noted he will impose Arizona laws regarding sex trafficking, drug trafficking and crimes pertaining the illegal immigration along the border.
‘I will continue to stand and fight to do the right thing for Arizona and America, and will never surrender,’ the press release states.
‘Those who break the law will have to deal with this Sheriff.’
Arpaio (pictured): ‘I will continue to stand and fight to do the right thing for Arizona and America, and will never surrender’
Arpaio also plans to reinforce his ‘popular’ jail policies and continue to crack down on crime pertaining to ‘illegal immigration’
The decision to officially run for sheriff again comes after two months of deliberation and reportedly an outpouring of support.
Arpaio indicated in June he would reach his decision by the end of August.
‘In the intervening time, he has been humbled by the many thousands of people across the nation, including Arizona, encouraging him to run for Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, again.’
Arpaio did not miss the opportunity to call out his critics, identifying them as members of the left and biased media companies.
‘Sheriff Arpaio and his wife realize that during the past several years, his opponents, activists and political figures on the Left, have utilized slanderous attacks on him through the fake and biased news media to try and keep him from being heard, but these efforts have failed,’ the press release said.
The press release, shared on Twitter, outlines Arpaio’s official bid and his goals going forward
The press release claims Arpaio has received an outpouring of support from people around the country who encouraged him to run again
Trump (right) pardoned Arpaio (left) in 2017 after he was found in contempt of court for continuing to target people he believed for undocumented immagrants
Arpaio (pictured) was ordered in 2011 to stop detaining residents he thought were illegal immigrants simply because he believed so
Arpaio was pardoned by Trump in 2017 from charges of violating a court order by continuing to target undocumented immigrants during his patrols.
He decidedly modeled his campaign goal after Trump, saying: ‘Make Maricopa County Safe Again’
CNN reports that Arpaio was ordered in 2011 ‘to stop detaining people based simply on a belief that they were in the country illegally, and refused to comply.’
Arpaio was accused of racial profiling and discrimination against minorities, specifically Latinos.
He drew criticism for his Tent City Jail, an outdoor jail where inmates walked around in chain gangs and were pink underwear.
Inmates allegedly were forced to stay outside in extremely hot temperatures and eat calorie controlled meals.
The former sheriff held the position for 24 years and is reportedly, ‘the only Republican Sheriff re-elected in the past 100 years in Maricopa County’.