It’s only been a few days since Donald Trump used his presidential pardon authority in the way the founders surely intended: as a political wedge to free a convicted racist and send a message to white supremacists that you have their back. No doubt that’s what Madison and the guys had in mind.
It’s not enough that former Sheriff Joe Arpaio won’t face the consequences of his 24-year reign of terror in Maricopa County: murders in his jails, torture, illegal arrests, judicial harassment, racial profiling, illegal campaign schemes, misuse of funds, intimidation. You name it, you can probably find a law that Arpaio broke or an immoral method he used in order to build his police state.
But that’s not enough. Now Arpaio has to rub the pardon in America’s face by asking for cash. He and his online money-making machine have always excelled at fleecing bigoted goobers nationwide, which usually resulted in a war chest ten times larger than his opponent’s. His email solicitations always portrayed him as the victim—of nasty Barack Obama, activist judges and the thugs at DOJ who are coming after Joe because, hey, he’s standing up for you, me and the Constitution! His emails characterize him as the savior of America, waging war against the liberal media, Nancy Pelosi’s goons and the open-border commies in D.C who are out to get him. Save democracy! Build the wall! Send Joe cash!
The old grifter is back at it, begging gullible nitwits to pony up because, even though Arpaio is free from federal prosecution, he’s left with a mountain of legal bills and he no longer has a six-figure job after voters sent him packing in November. In past legal battles the sheriff could count on the county, his former employer, to defend him, which is why taxpayers have shelled out around $170 million to pay for the numerous lawsuits Arpaio lost. But this recent contempt of court case that resulted in a guilty verdict was on his dime; the county didn’t defend Arpaio and he’s stuck with the bill, so he’s already sending out email solicitations, writes Ed Montini in today’s Arizona Republic.
“While I am humbled and incredibly grateful for this very good news [the pardon], I can't help but be concerned about a bit of bad news I received recently. I am still facing tens of thousands in legal bills from my fight to clear my name… Remember Friend, I am just a retired local law enforcement officer. The only reason you now [sic] my name is because the liberal media decided to launch a national campaign to paint me as a monster for my hard belief in upholding the Constitution and against illegal immigration . . . “
Sure, he’s only a “retired local law enforcement officer” who lives in a big-ass house in tony Fountain Hills, who made more than $100,000 per year as sheriff, who has at least a half million bucks in the bank, who owns a travel agency with his wife and who owns land in Scottsdale worth more than $2 million. Poor boy. It’s not his fault he broke the law, and the “only reason you now [sic] my name” isn’t because he’s such a media hound, with his books, TV shows, pink underwear and other ego-boosting PR bullshit; no, it’s the “liberal media.”
It appears birtherism, bigotry and big neckties are not the only things Joe Arpaio and Donald Trump have in common. Fuck-ups are never their fault and others are always expected to pay for them.