PHOENIX (AP) - A group of Democrats in Congress have asked the judge in Joe Arpaio’s criminal case to declare his recent pardon to be invalid.
The 33 Democrats filed a friend-of-the-court brief Wednesday in Phoenix arguing that the pardon issued by President Donald Trump on Aug. 25 is an invalid encroachment by the president on the power of the courts.
The Democrats join three legal advocacy groups in asking Judge Susan Bolton to declare the pardon invalid or unconstitutional.
Arpaio’s attorneys have asked Bolton to formally dismiss Arpaio’s criminal case and throw out a blistering 14-page ruling that explained the reasoning behind his guilty verdict.
The pardon spared the 85-year-old lawman a possible jail sentence for his conviction for intentionally disobeying a court order in an immigration case.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.