Trump has suggested that police officers effectuating arrests should bang suspects' heads against police car doors, which would violate the Fourth Amendment. The conservative Washington Examiner editorialized that the pardon demonstrates "once again Trump really means 'busting heads' when he says 'law and order'.... But 'law and order,' if the words have any meaning, has to apply to government actors as well. Lawless sheriffs promote disorder, and that's what Arpaio did to get himself convicted."
Three days before issuing the pardon, Trump telegraphed his intention to a gaggle of supporters at the Phoenix Convention Center. When he asked the crowd, "Was Sheriff Joe convicted for doing his job?" they applauded.
Arpaio was not convicted for doing his job. He was convicted for violating the law he was sworn to uphold. Trump, a soulmate of the racist, sadistic Arpaio, pardoned him for shamelessly breaking the law.
Alejandra Gomez, co-executive director of Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA), said, "Arpaio built his work on terror and fear.... Arpaio built the foundation for Trump's agenda."
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