I assume they mean this guy:
http://www.politico.com/magazine/sto...k-obama-214685
He never actually killed anyone or anything.
Trump even courting the idea of pardoning Arpaio is just a rookie dumb move that will only hurt him. His racist base isn't going anywhere and that the only one who would approve of the move, especially after the Cville events.
It's exceedingly unlikely Arpaio is facing jail time. He's old, retired, no longer in power, and no longer in a position to be a threat to anyone. Given his age and (I believe) a lack of prior history with legal issues I just don't see an outcome where they toss a very old guy into jail.
So the pardon isn't actually saving Arpaio from anything -- it's a pure political statement. One that's likely to continue to erode what little political capital he has left.
I think this thread is pretty much over.
Bannon's removal from the WH is such a dramatic shift that Trump can't realistically play both sides anymore. Bannon was more important, but he accepted the resignation/fired him/threw him under the bus/whatever. That, combined with the anti-invite, makes the pardon just impossible to get away with.
Well, time to dust this off before tomorrow. Considering the mayor of Phoenix asked him not to pardon, House Rep Andy Biggs asked Trump to pardon, and the governor won't be there at all -- you might say he "Flaked out" har har get it -- and simply said via spokesperson he hoped it would go peacefully, it seems even odds if he will or won't.
And Reuters is reporting Joe himself has no idea.
It'll be interesting to see. Sheriff Joe was sentenced to up to six months in jail for racial profiling, or more correctly, for failing to follow a court order to stop racial profiling. The court's 14 page ruling makes it clear he knew what he was doing, he knew it was wrong, and he continued doing it anyhow. Trump could very well pardon one of his earliest and more vocal supporters from having to appeal the sentence, or from the chance that the courts would actually send an 85-year-old man to jail, but after failing to condemn American Nazis and the KKK, he will almost assuredly be harshly criticized for it and the complicit racism such a pardon suggests, maybe losing more moderate Republicans. Or, he could ignore the option, which isn't exactly something you can tout ("I didn't do that thing nobody would have liked! I get a second scoop tonight!") but risk losing some of his rabid fanbase.
Really, it's a no-win situation. Turns out, being adored by people like American Nazis, the KKK, and people convicted of abusing their power for racist ends is a bit of a quagmire. Kind of like trying to get elected so you'd be in charge of the next decision about Afghanistan. There's no good, easy answers here.
See you tomorrow.
Who wants to bet some internet points?
Resident Cosplay Progressive
Um...I'm going to stay away from that. Mostly because this DoJ information says you have to wait five years after conviction for a federal pardon, which does not mesh up with discussions in the past. Seems too murky to dive into.
The way I read it, the waiting period only applies to someone seeking a pardon. Even then the President can still waive the waiting period. So if Joe the Plumber wanted a pardon but the President didn't explicitly reach out to Joe, Joe would have to wait 5 years before applying for a pardon. The President himself could decide to ignore the waiting period in either scenario.
Resident Cosplay Progressive
Hard to say really. Trump never misses an opportunity to shoot himself in the foot, but on the other hand he's frequently tucked his tail between his legs and done as he's told when the heat gets too much.
My guess would be that he won't do it, but will instead ceaselessly bitch about how mean people told him not to pardon dear sweet old Joe Arpaio who never did nuffin wrong.
- Christopher HitchensPopulists (and "national socialists") look at the supposedly secret deals that run the world "behind the scenes". Child's play. Except that childishness is sinister in adults.