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US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has pardoned controversial former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who had been convicted last month of criminal contempt for illegally targeting Hispanic immigrants.
In his first act of presidential clemency, Trump pardoned the deeply divisive 85-year-old Arpaio, who ignored a federal court order that he stop detaining illegal migrants.
“He kept Arizona safe!” Trump tweeted, calling Arpaio a “patriot.”
The move earned immediate scorn from Democrats and rights groups, who accused the Republican billionaire — still reeling from the fallout over his remarks on unrest in Charlottesville — of seeking to divide the country.
In a statement, the White House said Arpaio — who made prisoners wear pink underwear and housed them in tented desert camps — had “more than fifty years of admirable service to our nation.”
The former sheriff of Maricopa County, who reveled in his reputation as “America’s toughest sheriff,” had been due to be sentenced in October.
Trump foreshadowed the announcement during a meandering speech in Arizona earlier this week, when he suggested Arpaio was convicted for “doing his job.”
“You know what, I’ll make a prediction: I think he’s going to be just fine,” Trump said.
“I won’t do it tonight because I don’t want to cause any controversy. But Sheriff Joe should feel good.”
Arpaio tweeted that he was “incredibly grateful” to Trump, and suggested his conviction was “a political witch hunt by holdovers in the Obama justice department!”
He also asked supporters to donate to his legal defence fund.
‘Worthy’ of a pardon, or a ‘bigot’?
Trump has made appeals to the far-right, refusing to condemn white supremacists while targeting migrants who came across the southern border.
“Throughout his time as sheriff, Arpaio continued his life’s work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration,” the White House said in a statement.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio is now eighty-five years old, and after more than fifty years of admirable service to our nation, he is a worthy candidate for a presidential pardon.
The announcement still came as a shock for many.
“Joe Arpaio is a bigot who targeted the Hispanic community for years. He should have served his time,” said Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro.
The American Civil Liberties Union, a leading civil rights group, expressed outrage.
“With his pardon of Arpaio, Trump has chosen lawlessness over justice, division over unity, hurt over healing,” said the ACLU’s deputy legal director Cecillia Wang.
Once again, the president has acted in support of illegal, failed immigration enforcement practices that target people of colour and have been struck down by the courts. His pardon of Arpaio is a presidential endorsement of racism.
UnidosUS, the largest Hispanic rights advocacy group in the country, decried the pardon as “obscene.”
In a series of tweets, Phoenix newspaper the Phoenix New Times also shared a list of previous incidents involving Arpaio and detailed how one of its reporters was even arrested by him.
© – AFP 2017 with reporting by Rónán Duffy
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We must move forward,not backward; upward, not forward; and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.
@Stephen Small: When I was younger, I dreamed of being a baseball.
Abortions for some – tiny American flags for others!
I think the most relevant quote from that episode is: It doesn’t matter which one of us you vote for, your planet is DOOMED!
@Paul Hosford: Mission accomplished.
Don’t blame me, I voted for kodos.
Bloody hell Liam, you beat me to it.
Fast forward to an astronaut on horseback discovering a half buried Statue of Liberty on the beach….
@Phil O’ Meara: Que the Chartlon Heston over acting! YOU MANIACS
Americans can vote all they want its up to the 538 electorial college voters to decide the next president.
@Paulo mclawlor: no its not, it’s up to george soro’s voting machines. I wonder who they’ll choose….
What percentage of the machines does he own again?
And why didn’t they rig it in their favour during the midterms?
@thejynxeffect: Can’t wait until you and the other alt-right fascists are off this site by tomorrow morning.
Putin?
@Philip Gerard: if only.
‘Murica fuk yeah! Trump has it Dave/Niamh
So today’s D-Day for America. The D standing for Deplorable
@The Boogeyman: Two wimmen from the Femem outfit were arrested with their diddies hanging out where trump was due to vote, is that what D day stands for ? Anyway Donald is a pussy man so they were wasting their time
What do you make of Trump’s final campaign ad in which all the villains were Jewish?
I expect Clinton to lead early but later clawed back when Trump voters finish work and go vote.
@Beachmaster:
I have a suspicion that, like myself, you are tuned in to LIveLeak simultaneously.
it’s nice to browse & comment on an unbiased international forum, isn’t it…(compared to the joke that is the Journal.ie.)
Trump is hammering Clinton by all accounts.
@Beachmaster: Remember that the Brexit exit polls were wildly out with the actual result
@Charles Martel: No one is forcing you to post or read here.
Unbiased? A headline from liveleak “6 ways your voting rights could be violated on election (rigged) day”
There is no right wing, left wing delineation here. We have two capitalist parties. Trump could quite easily be running as a democrat if they would have him. Lol.
Is this a private wake ?
Out of curiosity what will Bill Clinton be now? First Man or what?
First bollocks
@The_Techno_Mage: elected then Huma and Ellen will fight it out live on Jerry Springer to be ‘first lady’
@MackPilon: If Clinton is ………
Former President. Once you are a President in the US, you are always referred to as one even when you step down. Calling him First Man would be a sign of disrespect over there as he was the 42nd President.
First Perv
@Eddie Simon: There’s a pair of them in it…..
Very interesting to see last night Clinton had her biggest rally so far. Obamas, Bill, Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen all in attendance. Trump alone has had much bigger crowds turn out for him. So was Clintons crowd just there to see the Boss for free ?
There for the free concert, she has struggled to draw 1000 people at most of her events. She best hope they’re not too hungover to go out and vote!!
Isn’t Hillary is almost sure to end up in a nuclear stand off with Putin? That’s general knowledge right? Why is that guys opinion piece saying people are worried about Trump having his finger the button? Not on either side but that is a bizarre point to make.
@Linda: The Journal is hugely pro-Killary.
@John Weldon:
So much so that they’re not even bothering to hide it in this live blog anymore.
The journals slant has been obvious for a long time now.
I’ve seen stuff like this the whole way through, it’s the very definition of propaganda. No matter what your politics are, it’s disturbing. One of them is going to be elected tomorrow, then what?
Hillary’s been calling for war with Russia for ages now. She’s unhinged. I never understood how dictators get into positions of power. Now I see how it works.
@Linda: always Putin a negative on things
I’m just worried if she wins, she’ll be Russian into more war…
@Linda: The show Moscow on
Fair enough! Whatever happens, soviet..
Linda, Trump asked why they don’t just use nuclear weapons to solve problems in a security briefing, then asked again, and again, and again
@Linda: I’d rather that than America be Putin’s puppet as it would be under Cheetoh Jesus.
@ Dave – A reporter, who got into a very public spat with Trump, said he knows someone who said Trump said that.. FTFY
@ Philip – You’d rather a Nuclear war than have a relationship with Russia? Um, okay then. Putin doesn’t want to go to war with the West, but he can’t possibly sit back while the US moves closer and closer to him either. Puppet? He asked at a press conference that the western media properly investigate and report on what the U.S. G’ment is up to in relation to him/nukes, that the public has a right to know they’re being fed propaganda.
Linda, every single news story from every form of media is from a reporter who knows someone that saw/heard something
Yes Dave but context. That guy and Trump got into the most pathetic, childish spat with each other and then he said that. That’s like me popping over to Hannity to see what he’s saying about Clinton and taking it as gospel. Just doesn’t work.
Virtual can you post a link where she actually called for war with Russia?
@ Jimmy – You do realise that there isn’t a video of her literally saying those exact words. If you’re genuinely interested, have a look at her foreign policy regarding Russia, then have a look to see who is actually being aggressive with nukes in Europe, then have a look at Putin stance on stoping the arms war before it goes to the point of no return.
Then hopefully you won’t need to come to the journal comments, asking for links to find out what could potentially be happening in your world over the next few years.
So Linda has Hillary been in power already, or what? The policies you claim as hers were started by Bush and continued by Obama. She may well continue with this policy, but to say she is in favour of war with Russia is plain stupid
Linda, you either have it or you don’t, he’s asking you to back up a claim you made. Convince him or don’t but don’t get pi$$y with him because you don’t want to prove yourself right.
@ jimmy – Soooo you didn’t even get as far as looking up her election promises re: Russia. Where and who in Europe has nukes are still a mystery to you and you still don’t know what Putin stance is on the arms race. Yes, your statement that her possibly starting a war with Russia is plain stupid is obviously a well educated and informed opinion.
@ Dave – Have what? Do you want me to write an essay for him? Understanding what could potentially happen isn’t a two links and a ten minute read ffs!
Linda I know where the nukes are, I know the americans/NATO are edging closer to Russia and strategic places therein, I know of Putins response and all of what’s happening including what she has said and none of it adds up to her actually wanting to go to war with Russia. This American/NATO policy will continue no matter who wins the presidency, she is no more likely to go to war with Russia than any other president. Trump on the other hand, doesn’t even seem to realise the implications of using nuclear weapons.
Will we be calling Donald Trump POTUS in January?
Well come what may, I’ll be calling him the TOHAB (The Orange Hot-air Balloon)
@The Edge: Not to forget Hillary, her handle should be @SNAKE
I’d say if Trunp wins Michigan and Florida – which we should know by 1am – he may very well take it. If Clinton wins those states by 1am its all over.
@Old Gabby Johnson: It’s not over until the fat lady sings. And I don’t mean the one in the trouser suit.
Booked tomorrow off to stay up and watch the returns.
Last time I did that was in 2008 for Obama’s election.
Hopefully I’ll be as happy tomorrow as I was then.
Booked tomorrow off so I could finish off me nuclear bomb shelter. Just have to collect my 500 tins of beans from lidl and I’m sorted.
@damien o brien:
If I had a choice between painful death from radiation or a lifetime of eating beans I think I’d take death.
Why would you be happy if either trump or Clinton gets elected.. They are both as bad and as dangerous as each other.
I hope you have fume extraction in that shelter of yours, Damien!
@damien o brien: Jaysus, I think I’d rather meet my doom.
@Tricia Golden: It’s gonna be Trump or Clinton, So there is no happy outcome.
@Tricia Golden: You must have been very disappointed in the 8 years since Obamas election, what did he really achieve? The country is more divisive than ever, and the polarization that was evident in this election campaign is an obvious symptom, ObamaCare is causing more difficulties than benefits.
@Bryan Mannix: To someone as ill-informed as you, yes.
@Nick Drake: The only ones that divided the country was the Republican party with their opposition to whatever Obama brought to Congress from his very first day in Office,easy to find online if you tried.Of course him being a black person didn’t go down too well with some folk over there,too.. Obamacare has indeed turned out bad,but at least he tried to bring in a huge number of poor people to get healthcare..What will the Republican party change it with ?
He achieved in making a profit on the bank & auto bailout..
He achieved by turning the American economy around
@Philip Gerard: lol ill-informed? inform me then, blow me away with your knowledge Philip
That post by noel rock is creepy as fack. Blue shirt on him in every pic too for good measure.
@Jonny: That Noel rock is creepy as fcuk
It looks like the pair of them are on the same diet?
Abortions for some. Minature American Flags for others
Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos.
@Stephen Small:
Well I believe I might vote for a 3rd party candidate
“GO AHEAD, THROW YOUR VOTE AWAY”
Bob Dole doesn’t like this.
What the hell is this, some kind of tube?
No one in America has anything much to gain from either of these two
Had you asked me a year ago what I would be doing right now, I never would have said that I would be sitting here hoping that Trump wins. Had Bernie been up against him instead of Hillary, I would be on the different side.
So you’ve decided you don’t trust Bernie. Get over it.
Bernie was right third party voters got Trump elected
Actually @POTUS could work (Piece Of Totally Useless Sh!t)
Thumb up which one you like
No matter what happens in this election the political classes have to take note. A social revolution is in train. The extremes of left and right are excluding middle ground people. No political party in this country represents me.
If Merkel wants Hillary then things will be bad?
Funny if Trumps wins but gets a heart attack before Christmas?
A lot more retweets and likes for Trumps tweet. If that is anything to go by. .
@saoirse janneau: Yeah….. about that
@Tricia Golden:
“The bots exaggerated support for the Republican, it suggests, but Trump would still have won a higher number of supportive tweets even if they had not.”
Helps to read the full thing.
@Jason Culligan: You think I didn’t read it? Seriously!?
The point I was making was that it’s really not sensible to try and determine who’s going to win by “retweets” when you KNOW that there is manipulation going on!
Sorry, I thought THAT bit was obvious.
So how about those embedded images, huh journal?
Noel Rock…”Big day ahead and the culmination of a decade-long journey for me.”
Yeeahh ok.
Topless protest seems counter productive for Trump. He would likely enjoy himself.
I sorta compare Hillary to Griselda Blanco when I see how this race pans out. Will do anything and take out anyone to get to the top and will be even more of a bad ass when she gets elected.
What’ll we talk about when The Donald is gone?
https://trickstersworld.com/2016/11/08/media-schmedia/
@Tony Ornery G: The scary thing is Trump has millions of supporters and if he wants to he can lead the movement for two years, endorse a few candidates in the mid terms and run again in 4 years, as an independent, He will not win in 2020 either but what he can do is prevent anybody getting 270 electoral collage votes and the election goes to the House of Representatives to decide, given in all likelyhood it will be under Republican control they can elect a jesus loving, woman hating homophobe that makes either of the two candidates here look like Lincon.
He could Phil, but he has said if he’s not elected he will just walk away. That’s not to say he will, of course, and yes American politics and general public is fractured down the muddle in a dangerous way and will be for years to come, and hillary is not he one to fix it.
If I had to choose between a corrupt, deceitful ‘establishment’ figure and a sexist racist, I would choose the latter every day.
@Colm O’Sullivan: what about a corrupt, deceitful, sexists, racist, elite? Trumps anti-establishment credentials are non-existent.
President Turnip wins, whoever that is?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMElvPDza9Q
Could be the case for Trump voters.
CNN reporting two clerks in Broward county have been fired for “not working to the level of integrity they were trained to”. That tells me fraud. The county has a 2-1 Dem advantage in voter ID and the GOP accused the Dems if opening postal ballots illegally a few days ago.
One democrat and one republican having a fight apparently. It was also Breitbart that broke the story. It’s hilarious that you spun it further that Breitbart
I don’t like Trump. There seems to be no coherence to his policies. He is boorish, sure. But it is his inarticulacy and apparent stupidity that bothers me more. That being said, if you are British and a pragmatist you will be hoping for Trump to win.
For everyone else myself included hopes not.
Bye bye Killary
Quote: Don’t let up, keep getting out to vote – this election is FAR FROM OVER! We are doing well but there is much time left. GO FLORIDA!
That’s straight from the horses mouth
Can they both lose ….. and save us all the torment
Democrat Blueprint for winning the White House.
‘Import 40 million Latinos, hire them as maids, gardeners, lawn mowers, cleaners, pool boys (even when you don’t have a swimming pool – why not? they cost nothing) give them all the vote and point them in the direction of the nearest Democrat convention…all the while hiding behind a facade of humanitarian idealism and altruism.
The liberal generation will swallow it hook. line and sinker.
Guaranteed success.
have your say