OPINION:
After watching the news media accuse President Trump of wrongdoing for pardoning former Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona, I can’t stand by without bringing up what President Obama did. He granted clemency to 1,927 individuals, commuted sentences of 1,715 others and pardoned 212. He used executive privilege to excuse former Attorney Gen. Eric Holder of wrongdoing during the Fast and Furious gun-running scandal. It didn’t matter that the debacle involved the death of a border agent. With the stroke of a pen Mr. Holder was no longer accountable. In contrast, whose death was the direct result of Mr. Arpaio’s incompetence? No one’s.
Republicans such as Speaker of the House Paul Ryan have gone public saying Mr. Trump shouldn’t have granted the pardon. Well, Mr. Arpaio was caught between a rock and a hard place. He was elected to uphold the law and protect the citizens of the United States. His mandate under a lawless Mr. Obama, who allowed thousands of illegals to enter our country, was to stop enforcing immigration laws and stop profiling people without probable cause, ergo the judge’s contempt charge. But how would he have known who was legal and who was illegal in a border state known to be loaded with illegals if he didn’t stop them and ask? It’s like saying profiling is unconstitutional and denies people their rights. If you are searching for a white criminal in a predominantly black neighborhood, you look out for white guys. That’s profiling.
As a former law-enforcement officer, I’m glad the sheriff was pardoned. Mr. Trump did a service to his country by pardoning an honorable man and he should be commended, not scorned.
GREGORY J. TOPLIFF
Warrenville, S.C.
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