Former ethics director: Trump’s Arpaio pardon a sign of ‘worse to come’

The former director of the Office of Government Ethics ripped President Trump for pardoning controversial former Maricopa County, Ariz. Sheriff Joe Arpaio, calling it “vile” and a “racist, pro-authoritarian gesture.”

“What POTUS says ‘exemplifies selfless public service’ is: dehumanizing inmates, racial profiling, and gleefully defying a court order,” Walter Shaub tweeted Friday night. “Every one of you WH staffers owns this disgusting, un-American, racist pro-authoritarian gesture forever like it was tattooed on your forehead.”

{mosads}“This pardon also departs from procedural norms. And as an affirmative act by POTUS, it reveals an emboldening. A harbinger of worse to come.” 

Vile!! What POTUS says “exemplifies selfless public service” is: dehumanizing inmates, racial profiling, and gleefully defying a court order

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) August 26, 2017

Every one of you WH staffers owns this disgusting unamerican racist pro-authoritarian gesture forever like it was tattooed on your forehead.

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) August 26, 2017

This pardon also departs from procedural norms. And as an affirmative act by POTUS, it reveals an emboldening. A harbinger of worse to come.

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) August 26, 2017

Shaub then linked to the Department of Justice’s webpage detailing the process for considering a pardon, and singled out the section entitled “acceptance of responsibility, remorse and atonement.” 

https://t.co/DlI18hEfhu pic.twitter.com/rJGPimjAbA

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) August 26, 2017

In a statement issued Friday night, the White House announced Trump would be pardoning Arpaio.

“Throughout his time as Sheriff, Arpaio continued his life’s work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration,” the statement read.

“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.”

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) also criticized Trump’s pardon of Arpaio by citing Arpaio’s lack of remorse.

“The President has the authority to make this pardon, but doing so at this time undermines his claim for the respect of rule of law as Mr. Arpaio has shown no remorse for his actions,” McCain said in a statement.

Arpaio was convicted last month of criminal contempt after he disobeyed a federal judge’s order to stop racially profiling Latinos.

Shaub resigned from the Trump administration last month after criticizing Trump over the president’s business interests.