Ex-Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio (pictured) was pardoned by Trump on Friday
Lawmakers from across the political spectrum slammed President Donald Trump on Friday after he pardoned controversial Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio as a Category 4 storm barreled toward Texas.
Trump was initially lambasted by Democrats who accused the President of using his executive power to absolve one of the country’s most polarizing figures as Hurricane Harvey was set to hit the Gulf Coast.
‘Donald Trump just gave a free pass to his buddy Joe Arpaio, the nation’s most notorious agent of racism and bigotry, during a natural disaster that could hurt millions. That’s not presidential, that’s a coward,’ Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Tom Perez said in a statement.
Arpaio was convicted last month of criminal contempt after he was found guilty of profiling Latinos
‘Sheriff Arpaio used racial profiling to tear apart immigrant families and devastate Latino communities. At the same time, he failed to investigate hundreds of crimes, including dozens of reported child molestations,’ he added.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) accused the President of ‘using the cover of the storm’ to pardon Arpaio, 85, who was recently convicted of criminal contempt for unlawfully profiling Latinos.
‘As millions of people in TX and LA are prepping for the hurricane, the President is using the cover of the storm to pardon a man who violated a court’s order to stop discriminating against Latinos and ban courageous transgender men and women from serving our nation’s Armed Forces.’
Then he ran to Camp David,’ Schumer wrote in a series of tweets.
‘The only reason to do these right now is to use the cover of Hurricane Harvey to avoid scrutiny. So sad, so weak,’ he added.
Trump directed the military earlier Friday to ban transgendered individuals from enlisting in the armed forces reversing an initiative began by his predecessor Barack Obama.
Strengthening hurricane now has winds of 130mph as residents in its path are told to write their social security number on their arm
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) accused trump of using the ‘cover of the storm’ to pardon Arpio
While members of Trump’s own party slammed him for the decision, including Senator John McCain (R-AZ), who claimed that the President was undermining the rule of law
The President hinted during a campaign rally on Tuesday that he was planning to pardon to Arpaio, telling an audience gathered at the Phoenix Convention Center that: “You know what, I’ll make a prediction… I think he’s going to be just fine.’
Critics from the President’s own party also joined in to voice their displeasure, with Senator John McCain (R-AZ) accusing the president of undermining the rule of law.
‘@POTUS’s pardon of Joe Arpaio, who illegally profiled Latinos, undermines his claim for the respect of rule of law,’ McCain posted to Twitter.
Apaio earlier Friday thanked the President for pardon, claiming in a tweet that the conviction was the result of an Obama era ‘witch hunt.’
‘Thank you @realdonaldtrump for seeing my conviction for what it is: a political witch hunt by holdovers in the Obama justice department!’
Trump’s announcement came on Friday evening as most media turned to cover Hurricane, which is predicted to cause devastating damage to the southern coast.
Joe Arpaio for his part thanked the President, saying that his conviction was the result of an Obama era ‘witch hunt’