“I won’t do it tonight because I don’t want to cause any controversy.”
Joshua Roberts/Reuters
President Donald Trump on Tuesday night suggested he would soon issue a pardon for former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, saying the convicted Maricopa County official will be “just fine.” The White House said earlier Tuesday that the president would not announce a pardon at his rally in Phoenix, leaving the door open for an announcement in the future. “Do the people in this room like Sheriff Joe?” Trump said. “Was Sheriff Joe convicted for doing his job?... I won’t do it tonight because I don’t want to cause any controversy.” Arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt for disobeying a court order to end patrols that often target immigrants.
