Hispanic community, others condemn possible Arpaio pardon

PHOENIX — A group of Latino community leaders, elected officials and others said Tuesday that former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio must not be pardoned.

“Joe Arpaio is the epitome of racism in Arizona, in the United States and throughout the world,” former Maricopa Counry Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox said at a press conference. “You mention Joe Arpaio’s name, and people think of racism. People think of the worst in America.”

President Donald Trump said over the weekend that he was considering a pardon for Arpaio, one of his top supporters during the campaign.

“We will not let Trump pardon Joe Arpaio and not say that it is wrong, wrong, wrong,” Wilcox, who was once investigated by Arpaio, said. “We may not be able to stop the pardon, but I am here to ask all elected officials, community leaders and people of good moral standing to join us next week.”

Trump’s re-election campaign was exploring a potential visit to Phoenix next week, though nothing has been confirmed.

Lydia Guzman, a Phoenix activist, was one of the original plaintiffs in the racial-profiling case that eventually led to Arpaio’s criminal contempt of court conviction.

“No man should be above the law,” she said Tuesday. “That’s one thing we learned from the Watergate scandal and that’s one thing this president should also know.

“Arpaio was found guilty for a reason. He was found guilty of violating our civil rights. He should face the sentence and be sentenced for the full extent of the crime.”

Arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt of court last month. The judge found he ignored a federal court order stopping his sheriff’s office immigration patrols. The former sheriff’s lawyers say if there were any violations of the unclear order, they were not intentional.

Guzman said, even if Arpaio were pardoned, it would not make much difference as he’s already been convicted in a court of law.