Sheriff Joe, like many other such names in our recent history, was inadvertently a true public servant, because his outrageous conduct as a supposed law officer raised public awareness and (eventually) led to gradual reform. Remember Jim Clark in Selma? Bull Connor? George Wallace in the schoolhouse door? There were and are scores of such people, but they don't last. They don't win in the end. Trump won't win, either. Hang on!
13
Arizona still has respectable citizens, thank God!
5
It's great to see the political demise of a person of such low standards.
The debate about immigration needs to be tempered with facts and purpose.
There is no point importing people who will undermine the fabric and institutions of western society or be burden on social welfare through:
(1) Their religious affiliation and ideologies.
(2) Their lack of education and skills.
(3) Their lack of commitment to western ideals.
With the loss of jobs to China most western countries are long past the point of being able to afford to look after torrents of low skilled illegal immigrants.
In reality, many western countires are scarcely looking after their own citizens properly with housing costs, health care, education and the lack of high-wage jobs all being serious pain points for many people.
For someone to try to enter a country illegally because "they want a better life" is not a valid line of argument.
The Muslims running away from Syria should stay at home and struggle to build a better society and understand how Islam stands as a root cause of many of their region's problems.
The South Americans running away from elevated murder rates at the hands of criminal gangs should stand up and demand a proper law and order response. Sure some people are going to die in the struggle but that's the price for not adhering to standards of decency and allowing lawlessness to take hold in the first place.
And that's why it's so darned good Sheriff Joe has been rejected.
Miss Cottle misses the point completely.
He ran as payback to Trump for pardoning him to split the hard line anti immigration vote and insure McSally would win the primary.
Cottle is also not aware that McSally will be worse than Arpaio if elected to the senate.
2
A fitting end?! I hardly think so. The only true justice would be spending the rest of his life in jail under the same conditions he subjected his victims to.
17
What is to prevent the governor of Arizona from appointing Arpaio to Senator McCain's deat.?
1
This lab sample needs to be kept front and center. He's a symptom is a deep old disease. He shouldn't be forgotten, he should be understood, because in the biolab that is today's GOP, they're formulating a kinder, gentler, younger, prettier version of this sickness right now.
4
Totally shocked and horrified to read about Arpaio’s reign of terror in Arizona!
3
Sheriff Joe is clearly a bad, bad man, but why always bring up the pink underwear example? Forcing inmates to wear pink underwear hardly seems egregious.
1
Trumps pardon of Sheriff Joe deprived me of the opportunity to witness the spectacle of seeing Sheriff Joe prancing around in the Arizona sun in pink underwear while being deloused... His convictions were much more serious than many of the citizens that he subjected to maltreatment in his poorly administered jails.
3
He can ride off into the sunset, to an undisclosed desert location, where he can sup with his fellow rattlesnakes and scorpions. No disrespect to rattlesnakes and scorpions.
6
The title surely damns with faint praise. Two neo-fascists received 49% of the Arizona primary vote. What does that say? By the way- in what way are removing children from their parents at the border and working in a concentration camp different choices?
3
Quite possibly the second most ignorant, racist and sadistic man in America. He was pardoned by the first.
9
Regrettably Arpaio is not the only sadist in the GOP....
6
Yes, Michelle, agreed and you know who we can thank for that, initially the founding fathers and to an equal degree Lincoln.
The founding fathers got us out of the dark ages and Lincoln save that and greatly improved it.
Without them, Arpaio would have likely been elected.
1
The constitution of the people of The United States of America is such that there will always be at least one "Sheriff Joe" somewhere in our fifty states. For that we can be thankful. America is built upon the prejudices of each and everyone of its occupants -- be they citizens, voters, or not. It would be a pretty bland and flavourless melting pot, or mixed and tossed salad, if it did not contain characters such as Sherriff Joe.
@Reggie
I imagine the prisoners under his supervision, the motorists subjected to stops without justification, and his other victims might not share this sense of appreciation for this “character” in their midst.
4
Great article. I had heard that convict criminal Arpaio (the pardon did not erase conviction, only spared him the punishment) made prisoners wear pink but had not heard about his failure to investigate actual crimes and the suspicious number of inmate deaths in his jail. I'm reminded of the Dostoevsky quoted, "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.”
3
'Well, at Least Sheriff Joe Isn’t Going to Congress' is now the bar in Trump's America of what qualifies as good news.
I sure hope midterms save my hope for the future of this country. In spite of all the calls to optimism, what I've seen about so many in this country is something I can't unsee.
3
I suspect that Sheriff Joe did not win the primary more because he is old and decrepit rather than his racist and abhorrent deeds. In Florida, a young, handsome clone is now the Republican nominee for governor. It took him less than 24 hours to deliberately and knowingly use coded racist language against his black opponent. This language serves two purposes. It galvanizes the racist right and baits the left into a response that is then interpreted by the center as being overly sensitive. The Republican base hasn't changed. It just now realizes that it has more chance of winning if its leaders to put on a suit, smarten up, stick a pretty wife on stage, and then blow the dog whistle.
98
The article is well written but lopsided against poor Mr Joe. You make him out to be a bad man, a sadist even, because he is stern and unbending about carrying out his assigned duties. If you read the article carefully, you'll agree certainly that Mr Joe's conduct is no different from the everyday policeman and jail guard. New York's jail is harsher than any of Mr Joe's. I like Mr Joe because he gets the job done. He treats prisoners as criminals, and has no interest in spending scarce taxpayer money to rehabilitate them. It's simply a difference in philosophy between him and his left wing Democratic opponents.
@Estaban Goolacki: Joe Arpaio is a twice convicted criminal himself, and he wasted tens of millions of taxpayer money on settling lawsuits against his cruel treatment of prisoners and people with the wrong skin color. Good riddance!
5
Oh, please! Joe’s jails are no worse than New York’s? I never saw a tent city set up in NYC in the dead of winter, which would be the equivalent of his in the AZ heat. Do you have proof that NY jails also served rancid food? Of course you don’t.
The most egregious part of your comment comes at the end — that part about not spending “scarce taxpayer money” to rehabilitate prisoners. Rehabilitation used to be a laudable goal of our prison system. The idea was to give men and women the tools to not offend again, rather than encouraging a life of crime.
6
This awful country is such a disaster.
6
Maybe there is a god and perhaps she doesn't like the evil represented by trump and arpaio!
4
This man should be going to prison! He has broken every law and failed the test of being a worthy citizen to head anything.His history of mistreating those who cannot defend themselves is beyond any criminal and he did it under the legal system and survived to run for another office thanks to the Trump doctrine of enforcement.
6
I am glad that Mr. Arpaio can no longer terrorize people in his town. However, he would be the easiest GOP senate candidate to run against. Ms. McSally, the GOP senate nominee is clearly not personally detestable like Mr. Arpaio but it is clear that she will be a yes-woman for President Trump in the senate. President Trump is no better person than Mr. Arpaio except that he doesn't get his own hands dirty.
3
Thank heavens. Now put him back in jail, please.
3
Arpaio violated, willfully, his sworn oath of office. Plain and simple, he was a criminal. Here is the MCSO Oath of Office:
Oath of Office and Code of Conduct Signed, Every Employee Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office As an employee of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, I pledge to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Arizona, to obey the laws of the State and the United States, and the rules, regulations, and Policies of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. I will never abuse the authority vested in me, and will honor and uphold the constitutional rights to liberty, equality, and justice afforded to all persons. I will be honest in thought and deed, in both my personal and official life, and will not allow my conduct to bring discredit, dishonor, or shame upon the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. I will never misrepresent myself, be untruthful, or take what does not belong to me, nor will I tolerate conduct on the part of any other employee of the Office, which violates the principles of this Code of Ethics.
Arpaio deserves to spend whatever time he has left, ignored and forgotten.
6
Thank you, Arizona, for picking up where Senator McCain left off:
do the right thing. And John was determined to do just that. Only That NY smear of Smarm Himself waded hip deep into the mud by pardoning Arpaio.
We are coming together because we are all Americans and know from the losses of our own sons who would not step back from protecting what it means to be an American.
29
Joe Arpaio might not be headed to Congress any time soon -- or ever -- but the figure who pardoned this paragon of gratuitous viciousness nonetheless sits, elected, in the Oval Office in pathological obsession to exceed the scope and substance of Arpaio's sadism.
We now have national power figures who have made human cruelty the official policy of their political Party. The measure of our national character will be whether we endorse or resist the evil we now collectively confront. In ten weeks we shall know the answer.
2
If only his punishment would fit his crimes against humanity...
1
We may have found Jeff Sessions replacement.
1
I am elated to see the defeat of a bigoted sadist like Arpaio. He is responsible for way too many deaths to ever serve in any public office again.
1
One of the worst people alive; and in the Age of Trump that's saying something. And he's not in jail. Thanks to the truly worst American who has ever held a leadership position.
2
and to think that Trump gave this man a pardon.....for what reason exactly?!
1
@Aaa Birds of a feather.
1
What disgusting and inhumane treatment this man has inflicted on immigrants. Shame on him, and good riddance.
2
But over 91,000 people voted for him.....scary.
64
@H. Edwards
Yes its very scary. I live in the midst of some of most ignorance and biogotry in the US. What is also scary is that yesterday set a record for turnout in a primary election 30%. That says volumes about the state of democracy here in Arizona
2
@H. Edwards
Yeah, out of over 7 million.
1
Having worked closely with many Hispanics in Az., and they knew him well..
I would say Arpaio was about Arpaio. Joe had about 300 press conferences in his years in office. Joe had always found a reason to be in the limelight, loved it. I think abusing prisoners makes them become meaner & better criminals; and at least in their own minds which can cause more crime. More importantly, the adm paid absolutely no attention to millions lost unnecessarily in abuse settlement cases which continues to this day. His ability to avoid the assassins, unfortunately, was his strongest talent.
1
Slavery, woman without legal rights and repressed, gays seen as an abomination, a caste system of racial and economic hierarchy and the rich dominating all societies have been the traditional "values" until very recently in history.
Average income citizens too often feel the same emotional need to dominate as the bigshots.To make up for having no power in calling the shots like the elites, they can at least feel the power of the cult, the group that is duped by scurrilous
"dear leaders" to assail"enemies".
It's dirty business as usual, and it's a tragedy that keeps replaying itself like Macbeth. You can find someone lower on the totem pole , you can lord your fantasy superiority over "them".
Replace cruelty with kindness, fantasy with facts, and blaming others with self reflection, wisdom, and taking personal responsibility. Restore the concepts of character and honor.
Why so many Trumps and Sheriff Joes? Why is it so hard to live the golden rule?
QAnon! Investigate this:
"From 2005 through 2007, the sheriff and his deputies failed to properly investigate, or in some cases to investigate at all, more than 400 sex-crime cases, including those involving the rape of young children."
8
It would not surprise me in the slightest if Trump nominated Arpaio to be the replacement for Attorney General Jeff Sessions, when the AG is finally forced out of office in November (if not sooner). Arpaio and Trump have more than proven their covenant of loyalty with each other, and you can be darn sure that Arpaio will not hesitate to turn the DOJ into exactly the mob wrecking ball that Trump needs if he's going to stay in office and out of jail. I will be only slightly less surprised if the Republican Senate doesn't allow it.
1
I wish the good immigrant-bashing 'real Americans' would reverse their stance on climate change, which is about to set illegal immigration into overdrive. Climate models very clearly show a hardening of severe drought that starts, like an asteroid hit, in Central America, and spreads North to engulf Mexico, the Southwest, and eventually even the Midwest, in the next few decades. This is a process that will be unavoidable if we delay action another 10 years. It's all 'very well' to encourage sadists like Arpaio when they make jailed immigrants wear pink underwear. It takes another level of courage to admit the source of heightened levels of immigration to 'points North' is staring you back in the face each morning in the mirror. And have I even mentioned sea level rise?
@Phil. Add excessive fertility rates to the climate change problem and you have the perfect recipe for the end of mankind.
1
I expect that Trump will not be brought down with a bang, but a whimper, ala' Joe Arpaio. Arpaio's schtick was all culture war, all the time. He was about sticking his thumb in the eye of lefties, squishy liberals and radical progressives. He was about sending them all to their fainting couches. His actual results in fighting crime were secondary. He was all about leading the red tribe against the blue tribe.
But at some point, his supporters looked up, and recognized that underneath the now shopworn antics, Arpaio wasn't getting results, and was a law-breaker himself. So they just didn't support him any more.
That is the most likely end for the cretin in the White House. The Democrats could help hasten that not by focusing on Trump's personality and grotesque character - which to his supporters will sound like a personal attack on them - but on his failures and broken promises.
3
Or, they simply found newer, younger bigots to replace him.
“Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of EVIL MEN. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness.
No words explain better than the Evil men intentions and actions .
Joe Arpaio is a biblical level evil men.
3
One could easily archive this essay and, at the appropriate time, replace the sheriff's name with the name trump.
6
What disturbs me most about Arpaio is that he is the product of an Italian immigrant, his grandfather. Perhaps if grandpa Arpaio did not come to this country, we would not have had America' worst sheriff.
1
I take heart and small comfort in knowing this man failed in his Primary Bid ... knowing full well that the GOP Primaries have long since boiled down to small rancid pools from the great variegated pool of Voters of all persuasions that they should have been representative of.
On the one hand, it can be possible and expected for such a small-minded yokel to become a Representative in the Congress...after all, he would have been just One of Many. But for the Upper House, the Nation deserves a higher standard of Intelligence, Deliberative mien, Ethics and Morality for persons who aspire to the Senate...Because that Person would be One of Two.
Arpaio meets none of those standards. I take comfort in seeing that even the brackish Arizona Primary Pool saw him as 'Unfit'. Our Nation may yet see ourselves out of our current morass.
1
For now anyway. Perhaps the senate was too ambitious and he will run for a house seat in a district appropriate to him. The bigger tragedy than Arpaio himself was how the city of Phoenix, the state of AZ and the US allowed this to go on so long, even as it was widely documented. It's amazing how far cruel people in our governments can get before getting called on it.
1
The voters consigned him to the kind of jail he dreaded most: irrelevance.
1
Flushed down the toilet of history like all supporters and enablers of Trump will be in the end.
6
Happy to buy him a nice new rock to crawl under. Ciao, Joe!
1
Hip hip hooray!! This gives me hope that American voters are becoming more informed!
1
It is simply stunning that we have a “president” who, loudly and publicly, praises Joe Arpaio and trashes John McCain. In the same week. And 40% of the public loves him for it.
2
Meanwhile, somebody here in Phoenix, or a group, painted GUILTY on almost all of his political signs. Funny stuff!
3
Any chance he might end up on Trump's legal defense team? They certainly share an opinion about the rule of law...
just wishin'
He is the perfect representation of today's Republican Party and, sadly, much of America. I know so many white, relatively or very successful men and women who continue to support what's going on. And many are devout Christians who go to church every Sunday and sing in the choir. For the love of God I don't know why (well, I do but it's not polite to say it). Maybe they appreciate Rep. Ron DeSantis, another Trump clone, for using the word "monkey" on TV today while discussing his opponent. Only an imbecile would say something like that, or someone who believes it, or who just doesn't care. Just like the big guy.
In the end, if the Dems don't go out and vote to at least take back the House this November, we are all screwed. Say goodbye to the USA, say hello to northern Venezuela. One party rule, shut down the media, jail your opponents. All the while Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell and the rest of the coward racists now in charge saying they just need more proof before doing anything. All for another few dollars in their bank accounts.
As for Joe, he's a bitter old white guy who will die angry. Sooner the better actually. Even God only has so much mercy.
5
Sheriff Joe, a man with the inclination, desire, heart and soul of an SS-Totenkopfverbände, restrained by law, punished and then pardoned.
What a message that last part sends...
10
Well, there's always the refuse dump. Come to think of it, that's a good place for his colleague, Traitor Trump. Hopefully, their tombstones will be erected there.
9
McCain and this old fool. The best AND worst of Arizona.
Seriously.
9
What a vile little man.
9
Good riddance (let’s hope) to bad garbage. Ducey could appoint him to,McCain’s seat except that he is also running and that may be too much for even Arizonans.
2
Now that Arpaio's a "loser" will Trump un-pardon him?
4
I'm just surprised there aren't more comments taking the effete liberal reader of the NYT to task for not recognizing the deep existential pain of the Trump/Arpaio supporters who are feeling abandoned by the system and grieving the loss of their power.
1
The people in Arizona are responsible for supporting this man for so many years. He was able to carry out his monstrosities because he kept being re-elected. Maybe this November the people there will make amends and vote for someone who actually follows the law instead of breaking it.
5
I love this article.
5
On November 6, remember this insight from Michelle Cottle: "In the closing weeks of the race, [Arpaio's] campaign had begun melting down. His staff was in chaos, and polls showed him trailing."
This remark perfectly foreshadows what will happen to nearly every Republican candidate in these final weeks to the midterm elections. The Mass Defeats suffered on November 6 by Republicans -- many of them fellow Arpaio Sadists -- will be oh so beautiful.
7
Our next attorney general?
3
"Arpaio" doesnt exactly sound like a Native American name.
Where is this man's family from?
Trump's pardon was a disgraceful act and further evidence of his unfitness for office.
Arizona needs to look at why so many really bad people are expecting to win voter support. Is this the result of old people moving there to retire and bringing their toxic attitudes with them or something else?
8
Thank you, Ms. Cottle, for reminding us of who Arpaio is, and also of why all good Americans should be appalled by Trump pardoning Arpaio. The only saving grace of this story is that eventually history will lump Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller, Donald Trump, Joe Arpaio, the white supremicists at Charlottsville and the Mercers into a small group of misguided racists who temporarily hijacked democracy.
7
Unfortunately, by the time 2020 rolls around the pardon of Arpaio will be relegated to a footnote with all the rest of the things this president does. Hopefully, there will be someone or someplace who, by then, will remind the voters af what the past 4 years has become. It's like everyday you wake up with a migraine because of yet another transgression against decent society.
5
True justice would hold Mr. Arpaio to account for his 'not-so-legal' actions in the course of his professional life. Pardons are not granted to innocents. And in this case, the Pardoner has the dirtiest of hands.
5
@pntimes1
"True justice" is applied to all who violate the law be they presidents, sheriffs, natural-born citizens or illegal immigrants. All must be made to answer for their transgressions.
3
“You can’t support people just because they’re convicted?” he asked rhetorically. “No matter what he’s convicted of, I’m still going to call it a witch hunt, so of course I’ll stand by him.”
Is the fact that a person like this is not immediately laughed off the stage (let alone elected to the presidency) a relatively recent phenomenon in the United States, or has there always been a sizable share of the population willing to embrace idiocy? Here's my guess: Before information could be shared nationwide (and globally) instantaneously, with just a click, the claims of someone like this would go through what you could call editorial gatekeepers before having any chance to reach a wide audience. Now the main pathway is an end run around the vetting process, and people like Mr. Trump are trying to demolish the gatekeepers once and for all. That's not inherently bad but it requires that everybody who now directly receives output from people like Joe Arpaio and Donald Trump is sufficiently educated to make intelligent assessments. Are we there yet?
2
Far, far more eloquent words than this man deserves.
6
Lots of people in Arizona thought Joe was taking care of business pretty well. Otherwise, they would not have elected him over and over and over. Maybe things work a little differently in the west, especially the southwest.
3
Uh, those lots of people also booted him out as sheriff, and stuck him a distant dead last in a field of three. Seems lots of people got tired of his racist swanning about...and his lack of competence in investigating sexual assaults.
6
@Marilyn
"Lots of people in Arizona thought Joe was taking care of business pretty well."
Of course they did. They shared his racist and xenophobic views.
But he wound up in jail, didn't he?
1
Fantastic article.
3
As an Arizonan, I hope you're right about Sheriff Joe's fade into obscurity. But, while it's a longshot, it's important to note that Arizona Governor Ducey could appoint Mr. Arpaio to fill John McCain's senate seat. I don't expect it, but it's hard to know what drives the current crop of Republicans or what they'll do.
3
I think it's a safe bet that Trump will shoehorn old Joe into ICE sooner rather than later, not for any reason other than to stick a thump in the eye of decency.
6
I have relatives who live in Maricopa County, although Arpaio was on my radar even before they moved there. I have heard all the stories over the years, from inmate deaths all the way down to the overpriced vending machines at his tent cities that were owned by his wife. But the enduring memory I have of him is an article where he expressed his glee at immgrants' fear of going to church on Sundays, lest they be caught in his net. He was nothing less than gleeful.
What kind of man is that, I ask you?
10
Couldn't happen to a better abusive law-breaking rights-violating prison warden turned congressional candidate.
11
I am shocked that Arpaio could lose a Republican primary in any state, much less Arizona. He is a PROVEN rabid racist and (pardoned) criminal which ought to make him an easy winner in any Republican primary.
It might have been that millions of illegal votes were cast in this primary by the forces of SOCIALISM and Mexican immigrants, except for one thing: only white males are permitted to vote in Arizona Republican primaries!
So, how was this terrible election result possible?
Only god knows, and being a staunch Republican, he's not talking.
10
@Pmurt Dlanod
I gave this a click up because I am assuming good sarcasm.
5
I hope he runs as an independent. That'll show 'em!
1
Joe Arpaio seems to have stepped from the pages of a Stephen King novel. Morally bankrupt and sadistic, good riddance Joe! Karma awaits you.
9
Ms. Cottle:
When you say "immigrants," do you really mean illegals? If so why not just call them what they are? Besides, tents are good enough for our troops so why are prisoners too good for them?
1
Soldiers volunteered to live in tents. People accused of crimes did not. People like Trump and Arpaio don’t seem to distinguish much between how immigrants get here if they don’t have white skin.
4
@James
If you don't consider being housed in tents in 105 degree heat to be sadistic you have my deepest sympathy.
1
@Shelly
Jail isn't a hotel with a mint ion your pillow. They chose to commit crimes and shouldn't whine about a hot tent.
Arpaio was elected SIX times to the office of Sheriff. Had the federal government done its job and secured the US-Mexico border in the 1980s and 90s it is very conceivable that the wind in Joe's sails would have dissipated.
2
"... would have lived out his twilight years with a well-deserved criminal record if President Trump, a staunch admirer of Mr. Arpaio’s bare-knuckle approach to law enforcement, had not granted him a pardon."
However, I think the criminal record stays despite the pardon. From the DOJ website:
"Please also be aware that if you were to be granted a presidential pardon, the pardoned offense would not be removed from your criminal record. Instead, both the federal conviction as well as the pardon would both appear on your record."
14
Nefarious individual; Fits the Thump model perfectly; no decency, no accountability, no humanity. a perfect new Icon for the GOP
13
It is troubling that this racist received 19% of the vote in the Republican Arizona senatorial primary. The vote offers a glimpse of the true depth of hatred and bigotry that exists in the Arizona Republican Party.
10
@Tacitus If we were being truly honest, we would admit that it exists everywhere in the US regardless of party.
3
A racist would receive at least 19% of the vote in any Republican primary. It is certainly not Arizona-specific.
5
@Norma
Bigotry exists everywhere in the US alright, but one party, the GOP, has a monopoly on it.
3
When I used to watch Fox News, they always presented him as an innovator and a hero, for putting prisoners out in the sun in the Arizona desert wearing pink jumpsuits. He came in third, behind a reasonable candidate and another alt right hate monger. Goes to show that some Republicans do pay some attention to the legitimate press.
7
I was yearning for Joe Arpaio to win this nomination. That would ensure a Democrat taking Flakes seat.
3
One correction. Joe Arpaio STILL has a criminal record. Donnie Boy Trump's pardon of Joey Boy did NOT expunge his record. It simply removed any penalties that his conviction and criminal record would otherwise bring. And by accepting Donnie Boy's pardon, Joey Boy implicitly admitted his guilt.
Good riddance to the worthless excuse for a man.
10
Make no mistake: Arpaio still has a criminal record. His conviction was pardoned, but an Arizona judge did not grant his request to have it erased- partially due to Arizona precedent to not expunge or erase any criminal convictions, a sentiment Arpaio previously supported because he wanted these convictions to follow his prey around. Look how the tables have turned.
10
No matter his other qualities, Joe Arpaio transformed himself into a person for whom power over others was his only goal in life. He chose to beat down, metaphorically and literally, anyone (reporter, judge, politician, activist) who opposed him or criticized him. He cost taxpayers millions in lawsuits for his actions. He villainized hundreds of good people. He created discord and sorrow and outrage. And hundreds of Arizonans supported him.
And Donald Trump considers him a patriot.
13
A few years ago I honestly had a different opinion of him.
Inmates wearing pink and sleeping outside was reported by
‘fake news’ extolling the virtues of treating prisoners like prisoners.
I had no idea of his corruption, much less sadism.
Several years ago, in the Phoenix area, a pit bull, named Mickey attacked a four year old who had crossed into Mickey’s yard.
Stay with me here...
Long story short, Arpaio had an area in the jail for prisoner’s pets. Because Mickey had done nothing wrong, she was allowed to stay there.
This worked as a PR ruse. I fell for it.
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap.”
2
Well said, Ms. Cottle. Thank you.
6
Sheriff Joe, and more recently, Kelli Ward are the epitome of the bumper sticker I saw in San Diego the other day:
"Arizona: It's a Dry Hate"
24
Joe Arpaio's defeat should not give undocumented aliens and the cartels working to smuggle more of them into the US too much solace. ICE is far more powerful now than it was ten years ago.
3
@Chi Lau
Decades of sustained, mass-illegal-immigration helped create the conditions for an ascendent ICE. Had all provisions of the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli Act been vigorously enforced then there would be probably wouldn't be having this discussion right now.
1
@Chi Lau
Illegal immigration is at net zero.
There has been no change in the number of undocumented immigrants in the US for many years.
We're up to our ears in irony these days, but Arpaio is one of the most egregious examples: People whose ancestors were reviled and attacked by the right-wing, anti-immigrant goons of the past have become the anti-immigrant right-wingers of today. The numbers of Italian, Irish, Polish, and other immigrant surnames who are now staunch right-wingers is appalling.
12
@jimline "The numbers of English, Italian, Irish, Polish, and other European immigrant surnames who are now staunch right-wingers is appalling." There, I corrected it for you.
3
And some 95,000 Arizonians voted to send him to the Senate. He's a patriot and Trump can't choke out a respectful comment about John McCain? We are lost.
10
Let's hope Governor Ducey doesn't pick Joe Arpaio to replace John McCain...
7
There is a certain sector in America that fears the influx of immigrants. They fear that they will no longer be the majority that they will be the forgotten minority. Deep down I think that they fear they will be scorned and treated like they have treated immigrants. This is the fear that the president and Sheriff Joe play to. If we don’t close the border if we don’t deport these people they will own this country. Immigrants come here seeking freedom and a chance to dig themselves out of poverty and to educate their children. They seek the American Dream. If you look at immigrants historically they are at times more American than those of us who have been here for generations. They actually don’t want America to change because that’s the America that they know and love. The president and Joe are from a time when America was white and people of color and woman knew their place. The only way to advance is to vote and anyone who doesn’t vote must be satisfied with what they get. 2016 was that way, people stayed home and look what we got, the president and Sheriff Joe.
188
@Manuel Lucero. Please identify one sovereign nation state on earth that hasn't enacted laws designed to stipulate and moderate the passage of foreigners into its territory.
3
@Manuel Lucero
Is this fear of being displaced the reason I can't go to Europe, with my American passport, as stay as long as I like? Why am I not allowed to go to Brazil without a troublesome visa? Are the Brazilians and Brussels scared of a white American pushing them out of their own country. Or could it be those countries, and most others, have immigration laws?
5
@Vincent Tagliano
Your false argument is nothing, Vinny. We too have "laws designed to stipulate and moderate the passage of foreigners..."
But as recent events have shown, with trump falsely claiming that people seeking Asylum are "entering the country illegally", it's the correct enforcement that is at issue, sir.
5
A padded cell is called for. I don't insist on the padding.
9
Brava, Michelle Cottle! Well put and here's hoping that this essay gets wide and deep reading. Good luck!
8
Arpaio is just a minor-despicable example of why the ominous character sitting at the White House should be removed NOW! #45 insults us, all of us, daily with his racist tweeters which are on the verge of promoting an institutional violent-hatred based on race and what not between all of us, the citizens of this country. I am really sick of having to confront the dirtiness and bad mouth and idiocy of this president reflected beautifully (aka his idiocy) in his lawyer of the moment Mr. Giuliani. We act as if it were normal everything that happens since oh! we were discussing adoption issues until oh yes, it was about "crooked" Hillary. This is NOT democracy: we are approaching a very weak democratic---strong very strong dictatorship, and venting on a narrow column of newspapers won't change the present situation (look at this Señor Arpaio daring to run for public office). Who is going to act responsibly? We, the people, are waiting and we deserve to be treated respectfully.
8
Not only did this disgraceful man lose, but he came in last after two women. Given his treatment of women in the Maricopa County jail, that is particularly satisfying.
12
Good riddance to the very definition of an old crank. I would add that a pardon from a bedfellow the likes of Donald Trump is no pardon at all.
8
Only when GOP voters in the Phoenix metro area got tired of paying Arpaio's $100+ million in legal fees and court settlements did they send him packing in his 2016 bid for re-election.
How embarrassing that these same GOP voters are the ones who kept him in office for years, ignoring his horrible record on human rights and civil rights because they enjoyed his "tough talk."
11
@Carissa V. This is what really sticks in my craw: voters for the party of 'fiscal responsibility' seem happy - at least for a time - to pay the costs of corrupt malpractice. I'm sure the good taxpayers of Arizona could have used that money for myriad better causes.
1
It is worth noting that while Arpaio delighted in getting "tough" on dark-skinned foreigners, he had far less interest in investigating other crimes. For instance, while Sheriff Joe was busy hazing his prisoners, hundreds of sex-crimes in Maricopa County went without adequate investigation (or ANY investigation, sometimes). AP reporting sourced current and former police officers within Arpaio's own jurisdiction and Arpaio did not deny it.
It is quite a coincidence that the man so obsessed with punishing and humiliating illegal immigrants was less zealous in his investigations of sex crimes in which "many of the victims were children of illegal immigrants." (https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/12/08/143355817/arizona-she....
Even in Arpaio's statement addressing his own dereliction of duty, he made it clear that his focus would remain on picking out pink jumpsuits and administering to his self-described concentration camp. Arpaio is a natural ally to the Trump's twisted "#MAGA" ethos, not just in terms of style, but in normalizing the corruption of law (and law enforcement policy) to appeal to all kinds of petty bigotries. Trump embraced Arpaio for the same reason he embraced ex-Judge Roy Moore. All 3 may have titles, but their cynical abuses of power were/are lawless. Arpaio and Moore were removed from offices for just that reason and Trump is trying to avoid their fate even now.
10
“Well at least...” is a pretty pathetic characterization of a people’s revolution that ended Arpaio’s reign of bigoted terror and persecution of Prisoners; and any chance to make to make a political comeback. This was not a fluke. This is the people telling corrupt politicians and institutions our values and ideals supersede their ill intentions and effort to destroy us and our nation with hate, brutality and civil rights deconstruction.
2
As you say he ''prepares to ride off into the sunset’’ and i hope that the sunset is in a desert somewhere without an end...
8
Can we please all drop the "Sheriff" moniker? He broke the law. Giving him that title is a slap in the face to the 1000's of women and men who wear the badge daily and maintain their oath to society.
14
The pardon was unconscionable - if ever a single act accurately defined Mr. Trump's contempt for the conscientious behavior of the Commander in Chief, this may have been it.
It was a harbinger of things to come, and has played out before our astonished and embarrassed eyes ever since.
10
Actually, Joe Arpaio would have fit in perfectly with his Republican compatriots in the Senate. Too bad Roy Moore wasn't elected. They would have made a perfect couple representing the high morals and courage of today's Repub;ican Party.
8
John McCain was the senior senator from Arizona the entire time Arpaio was sheriff and did absolutely nothing to stop him due to Arpaio's popularity. Not so much as one word.
Only after he was convicted, voted out of office and pardoned did the pious McCain condemn not Arpaio but Trump.
McCain was a complicated man but, above all, a shrewd career politician. As such, not always demonstrating the high moral character he is being lauded for since his death. Let's not forget Charles Keating, Sarah Palin and Joe Arpaio.
5
Don't give him any attention. Ignore him completely.
7
@David Robinson I have been saying the same about Trump. The press shows up at every opportunity, no matter how inconsequential. Then he calls them liars and the enemy of the people. They give him even more attention. "Wash, rinse, repeat."
3
I wonder if this mean-spirited column was really necessary? Gloating over the fully expected defeat of an irrelevant sad old man? Surely there are more prescient and relevant things for the opinion writers to concern yourselves with? How about the decay and potential demise of the American Republic for one, brought about by the machinations of the GOP and the radicalization of the Democratic Party?
Sometimes we just need to hear a little good news.
5
@Robert McConnell
Mean spirited?
In the 24/7 news cycle that is all trump, all the time....awash in hate and vileness, THIS is what you choose to complain about?
It's true: Some can't see the forest for the trees.
5
@Robert McConnell
"[T]he decay and potential demise of the American Republic..." is not unrelated to the phenomenon that is Arpaio. That Arpaio managed to not only escape justice thanks to Trump's corrupt use of his pardon power, but that he felt so empowered by the current state of national discourse that he would seek even HIGHER office is illustrative. His rejection is similarly important to the extent that we cheer that "only" ~19% of the votes went to an obvious degenerate. It is the same phenomenon we witnessed in Alabama, where twice-removed ex-Judge Roy Moore thought that now was the ideal time to take his bigotry national (thanks to a presidential endorsement). That he came within a hair's breadth of doing so is more troubling than his defeat is comforting.
As far as the "radicalization" of the Democrats, well... Let us take your assessment of the situation at face value; that we are discussing the potential demise of the American Republic due at least in part to the machinations of the GOP. If the threat is as existential as you say, resistance to that threat might indeed seem radical, but not necessarily inappropriate.
3
This country underwent a right wing coup d'etat in 2016. It was financed by the super-rich ultra-right mega-donors of the Republican Party, aided and abetted by Murdoch's Fox/News propaganda machine, and Russian election interference. Trump is the direct result of this organized collapse of democracy. He is the face of the Republican Party
This right wing coup of 2016 based on voter suppression and lies took advantage of American voter apathy: The Trump/Arpaio racists and bigots are actually a minority that cannot stand up to the majority electorate if and when they go to the polls. Get out the vote if there is any hope of ridding our government of corporate fascist and white supremacist elements that call themselves the GOP.
9
Sheriff Joe is a symptom of a deeper problem.
To begin with, public executions in the US used to be public affairs for the whole family to set out a blanket and enjoy the spectacle.
Lynchings, though not sanctioned by the law, essentially foster the same bawdy murderous irreverence, suppressing empathy for the victim while indulging a sense of self-righteous retribution. The instinct "to mob".
The tragic imbalance in wealth and social stability that drives immigration from the US southern border, fed by the populations of North, Central and South America, is a destabilizing reality.
Population matters. Concern over immigration is in my view, largely a domestic reaction to rapid movement in population, culture, language, and change in general.
I feel these concerns are reasonable. A billion new immigrants to the US in one year would be vastly destabilizing. Does anyone doubt 1 billion people in the third world would gladly volunteer given the choice?
Sheriff Joe can't disappear fast enough. But the problems that elevated Sheriff Joe to a position of power from which to effect his malevolent inclinations, remain with us.
Trump has suggested "a wall". As a practical solution to mass immigration, its unlikely to be effective, because it doesn't address the reason why people want to come to the US, EU and more developed countries; A better life.
But as a metaphor for people to wrap their head around, through which to express all their fears, Trump's wall is killer.
61
@Oh So why not use some of those pixels to visit other options.
1) Stop dumping subsidized agriculture products on the developing world, which undercuts their farmers, and drives unemployed men into cities where the cartels nab them.
2) Halt the sales of US manufactured guns south of the border where cartels are armed to the teeth. The NRA won't like that, but we shouldn't care.
3) Spend a portion of that wall money on family planning and development. Fewer people with more opportunities are what is needed.
4) Take a hard look at American policies which further empower the cartels. Go after money-laundering in a big way, consider our own drug laws.
5) And for the love of God, see what climate change is doing to the fertile areas where people can no longer carve out an existence farming.
8
@Oh the argument against promotion of illegal immigration is valid, how could it not be? The issue I have this is that in order to win the argument, conservatives are de-humanizing these immigrants as criminals and welfare hunters, when in fact they are here for a better life for their children and are usually work longer and harder than their host nation's citizens.
2
That the Arizona Republicans solidly rejected him is evident. Let's hope that it is a bellwether of all things Trump in America.
3
Joe Arpaio always struck me as over the top, as most of the vitriolic and unbalanced denunciations of him by liberals have been, as well. However, that’s not the real reason why it’s a good thing that we won’t be seeing him in Congress.
The man in 86 years old, and his racial and ethnic convictions were hammered-out on the anvil of times long dead, when casual racism and ethnic prejudice were not sentiments condemned by the people generally but were mainstream. We’ve moved on far beyond those convictions in America, and Joe Arpaio is not a good representative of current thinking. As such, he would not be a good representative of Americans today, whether they be Arizonans or others.
Many of our leaders today seem disproportionately representative of the liver-spotted set, and we pay inadequate attention to the times that saw their parents saw open their heads to pour in all manner of ugliness prior to stitching them up again and sending them on their way to pollute yet another American generation.
Aging myself, I’m not in favor of ageist prejudice; but we do need to pay closer attention to who candidates really ARE below the spin, where monsters dwell.
4
@Richard Luettgen
Below the spin, where monsters dwell, Arpaio was a hateful, vengeful, bigoted monster enabled by Republicans. The fact that he is now an older hateful, vengeful, bigoted monster makes no difference, except to conservative apologists.
5
@wcdevins
And in what fevered throes of drunken stupor could one read that this "conservative apologist" sought to defend Joe Arpaio, or any other "older hateful, vengeful, bigoted monster"?
You're an excellent knee-jerk hater.
@Howard Morton - I am sorry for your loss, but that is how a sheriff's office is supposed to work for everyone. I am glad it worked that way for you and that it brought you some solace.
7
Trump's support and forgiveness of this evil man sends a terrible message. Our esteemed leader sure knows how to pick 'em.
12
@Cone trump and arpaio are birds of a feather. trump would love to run our country the way arpaio ran his prison.
2
@HM - Why not use that technological talent to work towards putting the brakes on climate change, or as we used to call it, global warming?
2
Well, at least we only have to look up a few feet to see bottom?
Why did the illustrious Senator McCain tolerate such behavior from a fellow Arizonan?
4
@Richard: He didn't.
1
Trump to his crowd in Phoenix:
"Do the people in this room like Sheriff Joe?"
Crowd:
Screams like Elvis has entered the building.
5
If I never see his face again, it'll be too soon. While I agree jail shouldn't be comfortable, it should be well managed (and keep in mind a majority of the people there have not been convicted, just can't make bail). This man harrassed brown people, denied medical treatment to inmates, had a higher inmate death rate than New York city, let hundreds of sex criminals go by not investigating crimes and cost the citizens of Maricopa County tens of millions of dollars in settlements for wrongful deaths in his jail and attorneys to defend him. I hope he goes back to Fountain Hills and lives the rest of his days in obscurity.
11
He should be wearing one of the pink jumpsuits that he forced prisoners to wear while he was sheriff of Maricopa County in Arizona. The only reason he isn’t is due to the efforts of another criminal currently residing in Washington D.C.
15
I'm actually more relieved that Ward didn't get elected. Arpaio only has a few years left but Ward, who demonstrated this week her total lack of decency, could have occupied that seat for decades.
11
"Inmates were beaten, fed rancid food, denied medical care (this included pregnant women) and, in at least one case, left battered on the floor to die."
It often goes unstated that a large portion of these inmates were still awaiting trial and had not been convicted. They were simply too poor for bail. Disgusting.
24
Don't be so sure we're free of Arpaio yet.
The governor of Arizona still has to choose a replacement for Senator McCain.
3
Maybe so, but wouldn’t that play right into the hands of the democrats? Still, it would be intolerable to see him with yet another public platform from where he could continue spewing his ideology of hate and division. He should be made to live among those he abused. Is there a bunk available?
2
The contrast between John McCain and Sheriff Joe could not be more stark.
5
Herr Arpaio was one of the main reasons I left Arizona.
11
And yet, some 94,000 Arizona voters pulled the lever for Joe. How do they explain that to their grandchildren?
13
Let's hope that Sheriff Joe represents the end of an era, the end of racial profiling and the abuse of authority. He's just another retiree who needs to limp off into the Arizona sunset and spend the remaining months or years in deep soul-searching.
2
@Paul
Ya think conservatives will bellyache about their taxes paying his pension, or is that indignation reserved for honest public servants Republicans perceive as Democrats?
1
@Paul He has no soul.
The Times can trumpet little victories like Arpaio losing in the Republican primaries. But the BIG picture is how well Trump supporters like DeSantis, Rick Scott, and McSally did in their respective primary victories. Even after the horrendous week Trump experienced with Cohen and Manafort, his candidates did not lose. I fear the expectations of the Democrats winning the mid-terms will not happen.
7
@Carl LaFong: The Trump supporters did only well enough among Republicans. Let's wait and see if they can get the votes of the Republicans who didn't vote for them in the primaries...
4
Several of the commentators to this op-ed focus on the fact that this miscreant was re-elected numerous times as sheriff. that is true. But lets not forget that the last time his ran he was defeated.
7
@Alan Mass
The problem neither begins or ends with Joe Arpaio's defeat the last time he ran -- because he's merely the symptom of a far deeper problem.
1
"For nearly a quarter-century, Sheriff Joe Arpaio was a disgrace to law enforcement, a sadist masquerading as a public servant." This, and many other statements in your article describe a criminal that our president would consider as the highest qualifications to replace Jeff Sessions as AG. Old Joe might not be leaving public life so soon.
7
It will only be a matter of time before Trump announces 'the only reason Arpaio lost is because of the "millions" of ILLEGAL voters who voted AGAINST him!!"
13
Racists like Arpaio have been brought out into the light and can no longer hide behind the fake moral veneer of the Republican Party. They will continue spewing their venom to an ever shrinking audience.
10
Joe Arpaio didn't elect himself to office for more than two decades.
This excellent NYT's opinion piece sums up the domestic terror Arpaio inflicted upon Hispanics in Arizona with the help of this officially deputized thugs wearing guns and badges.
Arizona also had to pay multi-millions-of-dollars to pay and often settle Arpaio's civil lawsuits and court costs to defend this sadist's barbaric and unconstitutional way of meting out justice.
Footnote: Arizona was the last state to approve the Martin Luther holiday and did so kicking and screaming and after the NFL boycotted the state.
That speaks volumes about many of the residents that still live there and the state's right-wing politics.
12
Michelle, Good article. It bears repeating how horrible a person Joe Arpaio is, lest his frequent appearance on TV may somehow normalize his brutality. In years to come people will look back at the contemporary writings concerning our own Torquemada, wondering how the political climate of the times could support such a man. Like Trump, he may become the historical face of the socially acceptable ruthlessness of our era. Lets hope he is really gone.
4
Arpaio has peddled fear for his entire political life. Many of us in Arizona has been embarrassed by his success and have wondered how he was elected. The population of Maricopa County is changing and hopefully, we won’t have such a monster representing us ever again.
Thank you for this article. It's nice to know others share our opinion of this despicable, small man.
11
This is a man the president and Vice President think is a shining example of justice in America, so we likely haven’t seen the last of joe.
9
When our 18-year-old son "disappeared" in June 1975, his boss told us Guy had been hitchhiking from Flagstaff to Phoenix. At the root of our 12-year search for him was the misidentification of his murdered remains and their subsequent destruction by Coroner Heinz Karnitschnig. We were compensated for that. Throughout our painful journey Sheriff Arpaio responded to every one of our inquiries personally or through a deputy or officer. We later learned that his deputies, suspicious of the Coroner's findings, had taken our son's remains to the University of Arizona's Anthropologist Walter Birkby who more accurately id'd the remains. Later, Arpaio even allowed us to have the meager personal effects found with our son's remains when they were discovered by hunters near New River and a lock of his hair pulled from the nearby lair of a desert rat. No one of us is all bad or all good. Perhaps Arpaio deserved the castigation awarded by Ms. Cottle and piled on by various letter writers. But it is worth remembering that there is more than one side to every story of our lives.We were treated with compassion by the office of Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
56
@Howard Morton
I'm sorry for your loss. Your story does bring out the "good" side of Arpaio, but my guess is that he helped you and your family because you're Caucasian.
8
@Howard Morton Was your son a minority? I think that would have mattered to Arpaio.
9
@Howard Morton Is my guess correct that your son was white and therefore "deserving" of Sheriff Arpaio's compassion? Many sympathies for your loss.
10
At this point, we have to thankful for the little things. And if we can't move The Senate one way, we can mov it another by keeping the likes of Joe Arpaio out of it.
The president may have found it fit to absolve him from the serious charges against him for the crimes he committed, but that doesn't mean he is fit to serve the best interests of this country; unless you consider setting up concentration camps (complete with striped outfits) in the middle of the blazing Arizona desert a fitting way to treat human beings -- one would've thought we've had enough of that from WWII.
There's a difference between being "tough" and being a sadist.
And Mr. Arpaio was most certainly the latter.
5
I lived in Fountain Hills from 2003 to 2007 and heard the story reported below directly from the very fine Jon Beydler, formerly the Democrat mayor in Arpaio's town....Arpaio told Jon that he'd find a way to get him out of office...read here about one of his countless dirty tricks:
https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/goon-squad-6410585
5
Let’s not forget that Pence, that oh so self righteous “Christian” man, called Arapaio “a tireless champion of the rule of law”. I guess he didn’t know about the prisoners beaten and left to die or the pregnant women fed rancid food. He is no better, or maybe even worse, liar than his boss.
18
"The two men are brothers in arms, fighting the good fight against the invading hordes of immigrants — and their liberal enablers, of course.
Today, so-called America's toughest sheriff rides off into the sunset, defeated and with no more political hopes and aspirations to hold a public office. Come 2020, it'll be the other guy's turn.
5
A side note, to be sure, but why has The Times adopted the religious “passed” in place of the scientific and objective “died”?
3
Pretty sure Sheriff Arpaio will pay for his actions in his afterlife.
3
Sociopathic bullies, or humane human beings?
The Choice is OURS, America.
VOTE.
16
Mr. Arpaio,
You don't own the market share of the law simply b/c you've been sworn to uphold it in the past. Believing otherwise is dangerous and will not be tolerated by sensible voters. Good riddance to your racism, conspiracy theories, unlawfulness, and negativity. You don't deserve to have a vote in the United States Senate. I'm glad Arizonans made that point loud and clear for you today.
13
What kind of world are we living in where there are still people who believe Obama was born in Kenya, but that global warming is a hoax?
14
I was born in Maricopa County & after living a few other places, have lived here for over 40 years, continuously. I can confirm that the voters of this county knew & for the most part applauded Arpaio's treatment of accused & convicted criminals & Hispanics. They saw no distinction between being accused & being convicted, as far as they were concerned, anyone in jail deserved what they got. They just did not care. And Hispanics also did not matter, Constitutional rights be damned. They did not even care what he cost the county in taxpayer money - through lawsuits that were settled against him. All they cared about was that he talked big & was politically incorrect. Shades of things to come!
20
Fox News is probably already making career plans for the "good" sheriff.
13
You forgot to mention that Vice President Pence toadied up to sing Arpaio’s praises. It is important to keep a thorough and complete record of the depths to which the entire Trump Administration will sink. And I wouldn’t be so quick to count Arpaio out of public life. Trump could always appoint him to a cabinet post or seat on the Supreme Court—there’s about to be an opening in the Attorney General’s Office.
20
Thank you, Sacha Baron Cohen.
3
"Abuses ranged from the humiliating to the lethal.... inmate deaths on his watch were never explained. Over the years, the county paid out tens of millions in wrongful death and injury settlements."
Why was he only convicted of contempt of court? There must be many laws Arpaio violated while sheriff. Where was the oversight here? Leaving someone battered to die on the floor when it is the result of your policies or actions has to be at least manslaughter. Why is he not being charged with his crimes? If they paid out tens of millions, surely there is adequate evidence against him.
This is a micro-version of Trump and his ability to get away with shooting someone on Fifth Avenue only the victim(s) is from another country, so no need to worry.
What have we become that this man can get away with this?
12
@SC There are many racists in this country, both repubs and Democrats. That is a fact.
This horrible man, who is a friend of trump's, should not even be considered for any office. We have a president who supports and pardons, convicted criminals, racists, and corruption and has no honor for the rule of law...
8
He is a testament to the fact that a giant portion of the GOP are likewise sadistic and crazy.
16
Although the sadistic Arpaio no longer occupies his Sheriff’s perch allowing his criminality to continue, what has become of his many office subordinates who willingly carried out his depraved immigration policies and procedures? Are these co-conspirators still around? Like Trump’s own unwavering supporters, their continuing presence represents a threat and challenge going forward to enforce laws and policies setting forth the principle of “equal justice under law”.
9
I am sure when the day of reckoning finally comes for Joe he will go down to suffer, like he made so many others do.
4
What were the authorities doing when 'Sheriff Joe' was rounding up people and mistreating his prisoners? Why didn't the political authorities, like the governor, step in and end his reign of terror? Why did it take so long to get the courts involved? Why didn't someone in authority take responsibility for stopping this poor excuse for a human being?
9
Political authorities were likely well aware of Sheriff Joe’s illegal acts. That says everything about why they never put the brakes on Joe’s illegal activities.
4
One down, and one more to go.
A sadistic (former) sheriff is out of the way, hopefully forever.
But the patron in chief of the sadists and the lawless is still there.
God willing, at least his wings would be clipped come November and he's bodily chucked out of the White House in two years' time unless Mueller's posse comes for him sooner.
6
"Joe Arpaio was a personal disciple of Harry Anslinger...Anslinger loved him." (Johann Hari) Kinda says a lot.
3
It seems likely, after a re-read of Joel Garreau's "Nine Nations of North America", that the North American Continent is indeed headed towards some kind of realignment of various geopolitical regions. The Superstate of California being one of the obvious geopolitical regions. Arizona is being subsumed into this new version of California, Ultimately I think this new California will include all the heavily Mormon regions of the West......California, Utah,Nevada, Arizona........and Sonora and Baja. It should be recalled that at one brief moment, the California Freebooters created the Republica de Sonora y Baja California...1853. As USA was in the midst of choosing sides for its own Civil War.....the Republica quickly collapsed...But perhaps maybe now in the 21st Century this plan makes more sense.
1
The damage done to our nation - to its institutions, to its reputation and standing on the world stage, to its social fabric, to respect for the rule of law and for democracy itself - by the election of Donald Trump is incalculable at this point. But however great the damage ultimately proves to be, Trump's pardon of this vicious and unrepentant criminal - Joe Arpaio - epitomizes, in the here and now, everything vile about Trump the man and the Trump administration. It bears repeating - and let it be repeated by historians yet to be born - that every person who voted for Trump also voted for Trump's pardon of Arpaio and therefore voted an endorsement of the actions of Joe Arpaio and of Arpaio himself. It's a package deal. They don't get to claim that they merely wanted to "shake things up" or elect a non-politician or a businessman as chief executive. Everything that Arpaio stands for Trump stood for, blatantly and unapologetically, well before the election of 2016. Having escaped justice, Arpaio may finally slink off into obscurity. But the stain upon Arizona's honor, caused by this man's tenure as sheriff, is indelible. Likewise, the stain upon the honor of the U.S.A., caused by Trump's tenure as POTUS and those who put him in office, also is indelible. History will not forget.
10
Yes, though it's pretty sad that that's the best news of the day.
6
Given the blatant, obvious and heinous acts of criminality, cruelty, racism, prejudice,sadistic behaviour, highest deaths in Custody rate and so very much and many more acts of injustice and contemptible treatment of people, this person is beyond the pale.
And the fact that despite everything he did , the people harmed , hurt and killed and all the laws he broke and basic rights he denied so many and common decency he completely lacked...
The promise of fair, equitable and strong American Justice Legal System, Legal and Law statutes, Courts Attorneys , FBI...the entire Kit and Caboodle...
...was almost an entirely unable, unwilling and obviously a corrupted Sham and Scam and shameful failure at so many levels it beggars belief.
Finally, after charges finally being laid and a conviction gained, it was not for any torture, mistreatment harm, hurts and deaths he dealt out and for decades rampaged and ravaged upon so many...but for a count of criminal contempt of Court!
You must be kidding.
Regardless...if he had been charged for multiple murders and the torture and mistreatment of hundreds of people...The President can PARDON him without even needing to provide a good reason why or even at all.
How can America exist on this planet claiming even an IOTA of moral right or authority by allowing such easy impunity for such a person who did so much damage and behind so many evil acts and hurt for so long and continues today even allowing his running for office.
URRGHHH!
9
Like a zombie, arpaio may rise again.
@sjs
Republican zombies, like Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, and their zombie policies, like trickle-down economics, too often seem to come back from the dead to terrorize the living.
2
What is often overlooked is that Arpaio saw the immigrant issue through a political lens and simply capitalized on peoples fear - as does our current president. But Arpaio went further than that, he regularly put people that he viewed as enemies "under investigation", including other elected officials and County staff. In one case he very publicly arrested a duly elected County Supervisor and then ordered a SWAT raid on this supervisor's secretary's home looking for "evidence". This raid severely traumatized her convalescing daughter and has left lasting scars to this day.
The NYT is correct, Arpaio is an evil person who abused his power he needs to be consigned to the ash heap of history.
13
"... a fitting end to the public life of a truly sadistic man."?
I doubt it. This mistake-of-a-President'll most likely appoiint him to either the Human Rights Commission or our Supreme Court -- somewhare, anywhere he can continue soldering on in his war on Truth and Justice.
4
Reading this summary of horrendous acts to limb, life and spirit of democratically adjudicated fellow citizens and human beings, one needs to ask what enabled all of this to continue for 24 years? Who was complicit? Who was complacent? Who was willfully blind? Deaf? As-if-ignorant? What supported the silence? Not only a list of official authorities who can be named and documented. Also average citizens. As I read: "Abuses ranged from the humiliating to the lethal" I felt shame. Outrage. Indeed "Mr. Arpaio the man has not passed." he exemplifies a WE-THEY culture which enables, and even fosters,daily violating in a range of ways, selected, targeted "the other." Which each of US enables.Permits. he, and the many like him, are indeed "very much alive and kicking." As each of us continues, in our own daily lives, to permit a culture of personal unaccountability for harmful words and deeds of endless numbers of elected and selected policymakers and implementors from local to national levels. A President can legally pardon whom ever he chooses to. Can we, should WE, pardon ourselves for the roles which we play, actively, as well as passively, in this very human ummenschlich behavior? For how long will Trump, as person, and as Prez, be pardoned by US, for his range of crimes against humanity? Fostering the "kidnapping" of children from their parents? Fostering the polluting of our global environment and the diseases and lethal outomes associated with these preventable decisions?
7
@s.einstein "Who enabled all of this to continue..." Those of us who did not speak up are complicit. If you want this sort of behavior to stop, then you must support your words with actions.
2
@Spencer Indeed, Spencer, indeed. And every second and minute continues to remain as an opportunity, as a responsibility, as a gift, to DO so.
2
There are so many people who run for office, who, even from a distance, are clearly not suited for the position they seek. What makes them run?
They could be encouraged by an unscrupulous rival to 'spoil' another candidates prospects? Or maybe they believe their own press? Or they were given money by benefactors regardless of their prospect of actually winning?
Has there been any analysis of these situations as being affected by the Citizens United ruling?
Please - inquiring minds want to know!
4
Yes, Arpaio made a big deal about saving Maricopa County millions of dollars by housing prisoners in sweltering tents and feeding them baloney sandwiches. Then he let tens of millions of dollars fly out the window in damages for wrongful death lawsuit settlements.
I personally was hassled by his deputies for walking in a public areas, after identifying myself as a licensed attorney and officer of the court. Arpaio has a fascist mentality like the man who pardoned him.
Take a gander at Arpaio with Sacha Baron Cohen (see link infra). Granted Arpaio is an octogenarian, but the phantasmagoric stupidity displayed demonstrates he was congenitally unfit for public office.
https://youtu.be/bHvjHbL2utk
11
Maybe ICE will offer him a job.
4
I'd prefer him fitting into prison garb and facing the people he abused his entire life. Please, write no more about this despicable person.
7
Another "rigged" election, no doubt.
We have our own rogue sheriff here, Sheriff Hodgson, who offered to send detained immigrants to help build the 'Wall'.
4
He should be in prison. He was supposed to be in prison.
6
24 years experience in law enforcement. That should be enough forTrump to appoint him as Attorney Gerneral!
2
I have had a NY Time Subscription since 1972. This is the first article I have ever read in the Times about a candidate that finished 3rd in a primary for US Senate race in any State.
All the news that's fit to print?
It's an opinion piece, but 3rd place finish in a primary, why is the piece even published.
2
@Matt
The piece was published not because some also-ran candidate finished 3rd, but because an individual who is notorious for having been convicted of committing human rights violations while occupying a powerful political office is the one who came in 3rd place. This potentially reflects a change in views on the part of an electorate who voted for or, if outside his county, expressed approval for, his discriminatory actions. That news is certainly fit to print.
10
@Matt
The reason the piece is being published by the Times is obvious, and it has little to do with Joe Arpaio. First note that it is written by a member of the paper's editorial board. Then note that the entire article descends time after time into an attack on President Trump, and often only refers to Arpaio as a means of getting back to Trump. THAT is the reason all such articles are published in the Times. Please also note that every "Times Pick" agrees with Ms. Cottle, and that most of them find a way to blame it all on Trump, even though Arpaio was Sheriff for over two decades before Trump even came onto the political scene. Trump pardoned an 86-year-old man who, agree with his methods or not, tried to enforce the law for most of his life, did not do so for personal enrichment. and whose great crime was criminal contempt of court. Compare that to the infamous Clinton pardon of a rich guy named Rich, who was a major international criminal, enriching himself by untold millions. Where was the Times editorial board's outrage on that one? The Times used to be a great paper. Once upon a time.
(Give you ten-to-one this response doesn't become a "Times Pick".)
1
@Matt
I found the article somewhat of a message of hope, that a pathetic sadist who would have been heartily welcomed as a prison guard at an Axis power concentration camp, was soundly defeated. The downside is that he received 95K votes and that he isn't in Leavenworth where he belongs.
The news WAS fit to print even though the subject isn't fit to be a part of a civilized society.
3
Joe Arpaio -- a poster boy for the demonstrating the banality of evil.
8
Far worse than losing a primary is that Joe Arpaio, at almost 90, is in all likelihood at the end of his time on Earth. He will need to carry all that hatred with him. We are born alone and we ultimately die alone -when we come into this world, we are unburdened by hate and tribalism, and I would like to think that as we all leave, we are similarly unburdened.
2
Now that he has some time to relax, maybe he'll take a little vacation. Maybe to somewhere like...Cancun or Cozumel or Puerto Vallarta. Maybe he'll even get arrested while he's there.
4
I met Joe Arpaio when he was at DEA in charge of investigating Turkish heroin being imported to USA. He did a fabulous job. When I moved to Arizona and he was elected Sheriff of Maricopa Co, he began the Joe Camel program. That helped insure the health of 12 yr olds and up who were being sold cigarettes with the help of adult purchases.
I disagreed with his pink underwear program, and the type of food being served in the jail. However, I agreed with him that jail should not a country club be.
He is definitely not sadistic. Maybe older and somewhat senile, but not sadistic. It is time for the Sheriff to take a break. I wish he and his lovely wife well.
2
@StNelso
All those country club members, dead on the floor.
Yes. Arpaio, truly a great humanitarian.
3
@StNelso
Rudy Guiliani did a fabulous job as "America's Mayor" after 9/11. Now he's a ridiculous joke like Arpaio. People change all the time, and with conservatives, it is almost never for the better.
1
@StNelso
You might be surprised to learn that some prisons in Europe that have a more humanistic "bent", have a better record in rebuilding lives and much less recidivism.
Jean Kroeber
There is hope in Arizona! Progress has been and will be slow, but there is hope. Vote for Kyrsten Sinema!
7
This piece should go in the Good News newslist!
5
Words fail! Sheriff Joe Arpaio's photo by Caitlin O'Hara is worth a thousand words. Goodbye and good riddance to the malign Arizonian "racist birther". The sadistic Sheriff, pardoned -- to the dismay of John McCain, late of the US Senate -- by his good friend, Donald Trump!
3
Maybe Mike Pence, the self-professed "Christian," should read this. Pence gave high praise for Arpaio. How anyone who calls himself Christian can praise Arpaio and his sadistic evil actions is mind-boggling to say the least.
11
Most of the inmates persecuted by Arpaio were hispanic US citizens. His xenophobic and racist views were translated into cruel reality by the voters of his county. What is frightening now is the occupant of the WH is not much different - indeed he might be worse - and he is backed by most Republicans! Anyone who has read the history of the Nazi movement and the treatment of Jews and other "undesirables" should be horrified by the strong parallels. While many were murdered prior to 1941 the German government had a general policy of forced emigration from German controlled territories. Once the Russian front stopped further German expansion, Berlin's policy switched from forced emigration to mass extermination and genocide.
4
Like the first blooms of croci and daffodils in the spring, bursting through the topsoil to see the hopeful light of day... a harbinger of things to come in November.
VOTE!
4
"What true patriot would object to a few tent cities or human rights violations when the American way of life is in mortal peril?"
The "Americans way of life is in mortal peril" because of trump and the crooked enablers in the GOP. They do nothing when trump lies and trashes the Constitution. They do nothing when he makes millions of dollars because of his office.
Those in the GOP must be voted out in the November mid-terms. Otherwise we will be in very big trouble as a nation.
7
While his failure to win "may" be enough, it just isn't.
To truly wipe out his sad legacy, and the dismal future that the white supremacist GOP promises, we need to double our efforts at abolishing ICE, opening the borders, and providing sanctuary to migrants from the parts of the world that our military and corporate greed have ruined.
When the wicked ones try to use Mollie Tibbetts' death to scare people away from our goals, we need to do what Elizabeth Warren did, and redirect attention back to the REAL injustice - all of those poor young migrant mothers who were separated from THEIR babies before they were reunited and deported. Because for real, some girl in Iowa who was killed by toxic masculinity just isn't even relevant here!
3
'A truly sadistic man' indeed.
4
It certainly doesn’t take any form of science to recognize evil when you see and hear it. This is the way I see Trump. His day is coming, hopefully not too far away. Sooner or later, Truth will eventually prevail. I’ve met and filmed this egomaniac two times in the past. His perverse personality stood out like a piece of Black Coal stuck in the eyes, nose and mouth of a Snowman. You literally had to be BLIND not to notice it. Thank God most Arizonans finally opened their eyes!
6
Can't the governor have Arpaio fill John McCain's now empty seat? I am sure our President is calling the governor. Pretty chilling....
1
Well said. Another disgusting human being (and Republican) knocked down a notch. Please be sure to give news coverage to whatever his next endeavor is, because we all know it's coming.
5
A peculiar word, this "ethnonationalism." How does Arpaio's so-called ethnonationalism differ from anachronistic, naked racism?
5
@David M. Fishlow
It doesn't.
2
Joe aPariah, has been in more trouble with law than over 85% of the undocumented Americans. He is a convicted felon. The 19% of Americans that voted for Law and Odor Joe, have no concept of “a country of laws”. You also burned the bridge for Arizona’s own Christine O’Donnell....Kelli Solong Forgood.
Jeff Flake will be replaced by a Democrat as this country’s seniors are powered by older Educated Progressive Boomers. Arizona will fill the blue block from California to New Mexico north to Colorado and Nevada.
Look out Texas➡️
6
Here's how one former inmate named Francisco Chairez, who spent a year in Arpaio's tent city, described it in The Washington Post:
"During the sweltering summer, the temperature could reach 115 or 120 degrees. I was in the tents when we hit 120. It was impossible to stay cool in the oppressive heat. Everyone would strip down to their underwear. There was no cold water, only water from vending machines; and eventually, the machines would run out. People would faint; some had heatstroke. That summer, ambulances came about three times. One man died in his bed.
But the winter was even worse. During the winter, there were no heaters. Most jackets and heavily insulated pants weren't allowed; they don't want you to be comfortable."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2017/08/26/the-yea...
7
Thank heavesn this one's gone into the sunset. There are, sadly, many more.
2
Yes, but does that open the door to having trump nominate him for AG!??!
1
The question is not whether Arpaio is a sadist but why institutionalized sadism appeals to so many Americans.
It goes far beyond the sadism of chain gangs and "Cool Hand Luke" (starring Paul Newman). Most states and the federal government decree that "the purpose" of criminal sentences is "retribution." Although some cursory mumbles about rehabilitation are added, the focus and practice is on inflicting pain. (That's what "punishment" means.)
The federal sentencing guidelines (put together by Stephen Breyer before he ascended the Court) are an elaborate and nauseating exercise in how to -- very precisely -- exact how many pounds and ounces of flesh from convicted criminals.
Most Americans think that "an eye for an eye" (you hurt me; I hurt you) is a good thing. They are oblivious and deaf to Socrates' unimpeachable proof that a just man will in no case desire to make another man worse. But making men worse is what our prison system does, as amply proved by recidivism rates.
The response to this failure? Make the sentences ever longer until they exceed those of the most barbaric nations on earth. In California, appellate judges quibble over whether a defendant should have been sentence to 277 years versus 180... and by the way... the trial court forgot to add-in a $30.00 court administration fee.
If Arpaio was a primitive thug what can be said of the U.S. criminal justice system as a whole?
6
let's not forget that the ever devout 'christian', vice president mike pence, also recently was in Az., and effusively praised the shining merits of joe arpaio. mr. pence and other evangelical leaders perhaps should read and reflect on the beatitudes. The hypocrisy of Trump, Pence, and their sycophants at Fox News is staggering.
13
He is a common man within the GOP, and admired by many. You see, the law is of no consequence when you are on a mission from god to make America white again. He, like many GOP, have God's law on their side. God has told them to abuse people of color, those in the wrong religion and anyone else that does not follow the words they get from God. They are doing good by suppressing the deviants from their Christian law. The people they harass should understand, you have simply been born wrong and God is not happy.
Joe would also be a common man within other terrorist groups, but only in style, not in religion, because he has the right religion and they have the wrong one. Otherwise, they are very similar.
4
Prison would be a fitting end for Arpaio. This loss is trivial and extracts no real price for his terrible history.
5
He forced prisoners to wear pink. How brutal! He forced them to live in a tent city!. Abominable! What a horrible man. Anyone bother to think that maybe this is a good way to encourage criminals (and that includes illegal immigrants) to stay out of trouble so they don't end up in Sheriff Joe's jail? After all, any self-respecting macho criminal should blanch at the thought of wearing pink. Prison should be a tough, degrading experience. Kudos to Sheriff Joe.
A truly vile man. Why did it take until the end of his career and harmful life for it to end? Why did our checks and balances not vomit him out of the system like a bad clam?
4
I am still disturbed that one in 5 Republicans in AZ voted for him yesterday. I hope that this kind of thinking will die with him.
7
Now, if only we can oust Arpaio's brother by a different mother - the crook who pardoned him. They should both be in jail.
Thank you Arizona. Hope you do even better in November.
7
Sheriff Joe's sadism and contempt for the rule of law can't be overstated, but Ms. Cottle didn't mention the $70 million plus that Arpaio cost the taxpayers of Arizona. He was often taken to court for his savage mistreatment of prisoners, so had to pay out all those $millions to settle.
4
Sherrie Joe cost Maricopa County taxpayers well in excess of $150 million when you include the cost of lawyers defending him as well as the cost of lawyers representing the plaintiffs. I was appalled at each election when he was returned to office.
3
I won’t be able to exhale until we know Arpaio is not chosen to replace McCain.
1
Oh for Pete's sake -- don't stand on ceremony. We should all celebrate the depaerture of this foul, venal demagogue.
2
There are multiplelaws that limit a sheriff’s conduct in connection with proper efforts to enforce immigration laws. A sheriff cannot engage in racial profiling to make illegal arrests. And he cannot release illegals properly held by ICE.
Sanctuary cities and Sheriff Joe are both law breakers and are equally culpable and both deserve to be fully prosecuted unless they abide by the law.
1
Nothing was so emblematic of this time, or so bitter, as the pardon of this man.
Not a fraction as bitter as it was for those in his concentration camps. Which ran, in vivid cruelty, in full public view, for 24 years.
Tent city in Maricopa was never declared illegal.
Only a handful of s have been issued to anyone who lived under conditions which were human rights violations.
Of course most were very poor, and many were immigrants from the south.
Not so different from the children in the cages in their pain and desperation, just older and abused and humiliated for the sport of a sadist. Many thousands of them.
Apriao experimented with perversity and flirted with torture.
This embodiment of evil has never been charged with human rights violations, and never held responsible for his cruelty.
He was pardoned by a president who enjoys the fulsome support of his party, his wife, his children, and a hundred Evangelical Christian leaders who are enjoying a splendid dinner in their honor at the WH tonight.
4
Hallelujah! There is a God and he's finally got Arpaio's number.
1
He is getting off easy. Perhaps a more fitting end is still in his future.
3
In a civilized society, this guy would only get one vote...his own.
2
"Public servant?"
5
Here's a thought...don't break the law ! We could use more like Sheriff Joe...criminals afraid to break the law ! Now that is a refreshing thought !
So glad you wasted space for someone who never had a chance. Sure wish a journalist cared about the issues facing Arizona voters rather than giving 2 seconds to someone who never mattered in this election.
Geez, it is so nice to read the word sadistic here. So infrequently used and in this case so accurate. Thank you.
5
I don't understand all the negativity about Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Obviously, he was a fine Sheriff for many years down in his county of Arizona, or the good people down there wouldn't have continued to re-elect him term, after term.
Sheriff Arpaio ran a tough jail down there, but you also must take into consideration that he was dealing with some really bad hombres, not your peaceful folk's crossing the border looking for yard work, farm labor, or fruit to pick.
Sheriff Arpaio jailed criminal illegal aliens, that were murderers, rapist, drug smugglers, human smugglers, and criminals of every description. Sure, his jail was no Holiday Inn, but these criminals weren't Motel customers.
I lived for a number of years down on the Mexico Border, and I can assure you that it is a very dangerous place to live. Many of the Americans that live, and own ranch's along the border are putting their property up for sale, and moving away, and some of these ranches have been in the same families for generations. Why ?
Because of the extreme danger, and propensity of violence caused by criminal Illegal aliens crossing the border.
Unless you've lived near the southern border, or been a victim of crime by these criminal illegals, you don't have a clue. The good news for all of the President Trump haters is, that if this influx of violent criminals is not slowed at the border, you'll gain firsthand knowledge of what those of us that's lived down there already know.
The Native Americans are smiling.
4
@Mossy Yes, we are.
2
The pardon granted to this thug is just another example of the president’s failure as a human being.
He should have been out of office before, should have been imprisoned for his sub-human methods, and never should have been able to run for national office.
In the end, I guess this says more about the country and its divisions than it does about individuals. No- it says a lot that people would vote for characters with no morals or ethics, but some thought that their actions were almost biblical in nature. How did this nation reach this point?
Thank goodness he did not get the nomination.
2
And so another of Trump's "best people" bites the dust. Way to go Joe. Now you can join Roy Moore in the dustbin of history.
4
You are right to call sheriff Joe a racist - he fits even the strictest definition of the term. He's stubbornly cruel to boot. To which Trump says ' It's my honor to introduce our new Attorney General!'
3
Joe Arpaio distinguished himself as an uninformed racist sadist who took full advantage of his powerful position in Arizona to burden an entire segment of our population with his sadistic and humiliating treatment of, primarily, Mexican immigrants. I am thrilled that he has been shut down and shut out of the political circus here in Arizona. I can only hope to never again see his name in print or to hear or read any of his scurrilous opinions or statements regarding the rest of humanity. Good riddance to a true undesirable.
3
Sadistic, schmadistic - who cares what the proper adjective is?
"America's toughest sheriff" is a man whose time has come . . . and gone.
Good riddance. Trump may have pardoned him, but the voters not so much.
Peter Kelly
Palominas, Arizona
2
Wow! Superb writing.
3
Thankfully, the sadist isn't going to get a shot at going to Congress, but unfortunately the scofflaw isn't going to jail either...
3
This is trump and pals kind of guy, I can see why trump set him free. Maybe he will replace Sessions as AG!!!
1
Yes, Joe was/is a brutal sociopath to be sure, but it was necessary to make Make Arizona Great Again.
And let's not forget that Arpaio was re-elected and re-elected and re-elected despite the known fact that he took the law into his own hands and repeatedly broke it. No wonder Trump loved him. Joe is the role model that he wishes to emulate for his time in office. Let's not forget that this president encouraged police officers to "not be so nice" when putting a handcuffed suspect (not yet even convicted) into a squad car.
Good riddance, Joe. May someday both you and Donald be forced to wear pink underwear.
7
Now he becomes a trump advisor? At least an advisor to Miller and Bannon!
2
I lived in Phoenix from 2001-2015 and then moved to Tucson, where I now live. Maricopa County voters supported Joe Arpaio because he harassed, tortured, and jailed all those "bad hombre" Mexican drug dealers, rapists, and murderers. It didn't matter that Arpaio was not actually doing that; he was just profiling and putting away as many of those he found distasteful as he could get away with, the vast majority due to his racial hatred. It's analogous to why about 90% of those charged with marijuana possession in NYC are people of color. Except that more people hanged themselves in Arpaio's jails than pretty much anywhere else:
https://www.aclu.org/blog/immigrants-rights/five-reasons-racist-sheriff-...
Voters looked to him for protection. They looked away from the beatings, suicides, and many other deaths in his jails, the enormous costs of related lawsuits, horrible conditions in his Tent City, the chain gangs, and many petty gimmicks at huge costs to inmates and taxpayers. Trump rode Arpaio's coattails to the White House by stoking the same innate fear of immigrants at the national level. Eventually, age, lawsuits, a criminal conviction, and Arpaio's persistent doddering insanity have done him in. Trump's day will also come. The longer we have to wait for it, the more damage will be done to us and the country. Racism, hatred, and fear have never been the path to our future. When will we learn, and will it be soon enough?
5
I was raised by the credo "if you can't say something good about person then say nothing at all"............
How was this sadistic madman allowed to carry out a 24 year reign of terror as sheriff? In all those years of brutal mistreatment of immigrants and prisoners, murders, savagery, no one thought to be a whistleblower to protect fellow human beings? Twenty-four years is a long time for Arpaio to have free rein to torture people in his fiefdom as Terrorizer of Maricopa County. It is incredulous that he got even one vote in his quest to be on the ballot for senator.
It is no surprise Trump pardoned him as his rabidly racist base cheered both men on, but it sickens me that Arpaio was free to abuse, terrorize and murder with no consequences for 24 years. His reign of terror may be over but how many more Joe Arpaios are waiting in the wings to take his place as the Savage Sheriff of Maricopa County or any other county in America?
I am frightened of the kind of hate overflowing and boiling over in this country. A friend of mind just recommended we go see a statue of Robert E. Lee in Virginia. Seriously???
When we will stop fighting the Civil War? With Trump and his sycophants at the helm flying their flags of hate, there is no answer to that question.
Good Riddance Joe Arpaio and may there be no Arpaio clones waiting in the wings to take your place.
@Patricia Caiozzo I hate to break it to you, but the USA has always been a racist country. It's just a matter of degree.
1
I would like the Arpaio to live long enough to see the following:
1) A progressive Democratic president.
2) A female president, of color, at least partially Latina.
3) Single Payer Healthcare
4) Higher taxes on the very rich
5) Free public university tuition for any one from a family making less than $200,000 a year.
6) A Mexican-American sheriff in Maricopa County.
7) And the thousand other things that progressives would like to do to drag this country truly into the 21st Century that pathetic, bigoted, moronic people like Arpaio have stopped for decades.
I want him to live to see all that and I hope it drives him made every waking moment he has left.
6
@oxfdblue
Agreed.
That's a great list and I especially liked #6. That would surely drive Arpaio over the edge. :o)
4
Joe Arpaio has always acted like a certifiable Brownshirt. Anyone with a brain living here wondered how he kept getting re-elected. We often asked ourselves "who are these people who vote for him?" But we did get a preview of what was coming in the nation and the flouting of the law we are living with now.
In about 2007, Arpaio and his posse raided a community college here. Raided--no warrants, just showed up on the campus. They rounded up many people, including employees sitting at their desks, all of Latino origin. They confiscated lots of files. They found not one undocumented immigrant. All of this was completely illegal of course. Many of the files were never returned. As far as I know, Arpaio was never punished specifically for that event. Picture this as it might have transpired: a bunch of uniformed sheriffs descending out of nowhere on a peaceful college campus and barging into offices and dragging stunned people out. Imagine the shock and fear he created. I bet he loved that.
So, if you live in Arizona, as I do, his primary loss puts a smile on many faces. At the same time, we've had the opportunity to see up close and personal what authoritarianism looks like. It happened here for over 20 years; it can happen anywhere.
13
@JD
I, also, am an Arizonan that has lived here since 1950.
When I became old enough to vote I did and wondered why Arpaio kept getting re-elected. He was as un-American as trump. But he kept his office for 25 years. Go figure.
1
Hey, how could Arpaio be running for office? I thought he was supposed to be doing six months in jail for contempt of court! Wait a minute...you mean to tell me somebody actually pardoned him? What idiot would do that?
10
We deserve the people we elect to public office. I live in Phoenix. We deserve Joe Arpaio. I've seen Joe out working the crowd. The old people here still love him. I can't tell you how many times I've seen him cheered on at Sky Harbor or on the street with "go Sheriff Joe." Just like the old people of Birmingham loved Bull Connor, the old people of Phoenix love old Joe. Old Joe tapped into their fear of change, then used that fear like a hammer against our Hispanic community, and we, me included, allowed it to happen right here every single day for decades. He couldn't even fulfill the basic task of the sheriff's office: getting prisoners to court and running the jail, yet he was elected time and again. Why? Half of all Americans are so apathetic they don't vote. They won't take the time to go cast their vote in a responsible citizen like way. Why is that? They are poor, beat down, thinking about next month's rent or getting sick or getting thrown in jail; because they don't have an up to date license or owe child support. We are a sick society when less than half of voting age Americans vote. It all starts in the voting booth. The Koch Brothers know that. So does Trump. So do the Mercers. Our democracy is weak. There are too many poor people. There are too many children going to bed hungry. Our schools and roads are falling apart. I see more street beggars everyday. We will see what kind of country we have become in a few months.
649
@Henry Stites
Problem is we already know what kind of country we have become.
3
@Henry Stites, this is the most spot-on, honest, unflinching political comment I've read in weeks. Thank you.
2
@Henry Stites - Well said, sir. It has been argued that karma does not exist, because Joe Arpaio did not get his comeuppance. Quite the contrary. Joe Arpaio is karma.
2
Unless the governor appoints him to JM's seat...
@dloVT
Maybe a good idea.
Assuming that there are still reasonable People residing in Arizona, it could tgrigger a wake-up call.
1
One of the true personifications of xenophobia has now, officially, become extinct.
In a "hold my beer" moment, Arizona could overcome the public's decision. Governor Ducey could appoint him to fill Senator McCain's seat until the 2020 election. It ain't over yet and these are some crazy political times.
1
Two women ran against Arpaio on the Trump ticket? After Trump's denigration of all women he's come into contact with - including his current and former wives - I never thought I'd see any woman on her knees begging to hold onto his coattail.
Now, irony of ironies, two Arizona women make election hash of Trump's soul father, Arpaio.
It's the improbable kind of story the National Enquirer loves. Which is even more ironic because the Enquirer colluded with Trump against womanhood.
But then, Trump's base is full of National Enquireristas, so that brings this whole Republican slapstick farce full circle.
7
This is cute, in a nah-nah high school way, but how about giving us the demographic breakdown of who voted for him? We've got to figure out the appeal of such a sad angry beast.
4
Arpaio got a lot of votes.
3
When Arpaio lost the Maricopa County Sheriff's race he should have slunk back to Fountain Valley and stayed there. No one wanted to waste any more time - or money - on him. It was only remarkable that his incapacity and his mendacity were still so vigorous.
1
How? Why? When?
How did this man get away with such immoral behaviour?
Why didn't anyone stop him?
When will America be great again?
Oh America, we miss you...
5
Amazing! Finally someone so despicable, if in the trillion to one chance he became president, I actually might wish for Trump's return.
Maybe the legal beagles can help me out on this; "pardoned" doesn't mean "not guilty" right? Sheriff Jose is still guilty as a pig lying in mud as I understand it, pardoned by trump or not.
8
"A sadist masquerading as a public servant".
In 2012, I was one of the 3,000 Unitarian Universalists who held a candlelight vigil at Arpaio's infamous Tent City which was located out in the desert west of Phoenix. He took delight in rounding up undocumented immigrants and housing them along with violent criminals in these tents with no air conditioning or heating in the Arizona desert, where daytime temperatures in the summer are in triple digits, and winter night temperatures can drop to near freezing. Stray dogs and cats being held in more humane conditions at the nearby animal shelter.
4
Thank you for this brilliant piece of opinion and writing. This President is a disgrace.
2
don't count him out yet. trump may give him an appointment in homeland security or ICE. he only hires the best!
2
Thank God. This guy is terrifying.
1
GOP candidates continue to be some of the weirdest on the Planet.
Karma is not kind to most. Thankfully.
6
Don't be silly. He's not out of politics. He'll be running for office from his coffin.
Phoenix is in Maricopa county -- It's Arizona's biggest county by population.
Joe wasn't Sheriff in some backwater nowhere. And he held office for all those years and did all the awful things he did, because that was exactly what the fine people of Maricopa wanted him to do.
That includes the utterly cray-cray: Joe and the birther nonsense, spending Maricopa money to do it.
If you go look at the polling data for this senate nomination he got 20% of the vote in Maricopa. He actually won Yuma County, and he beat Kelli Ward in several more.
The frightening thing is that a lot of people in Arizona wanted him as their senator.
16
@Lee Harrison It seems like the 20% or so represents the debased trump base. Phoenix area also has a lot of retirees and retirement communities in which there are so many that they feel safe driving around 40 mph streets in their golf carts tooling along at 15 mph. I'm curious to know if it was the old folks who kept supporting Arpaio?
@Coco Also, a lot of the retirees are from other states, not just Arizona.
1
No, this is not a fitting end. He should be in jail.
7
Joe Arpaio represents the immorality of the "law and order" movement.
The use of our legal system to intentionally cause harm to people and make their lives more difficult than they already are, simply so the "law and order group" can feign superiority, is a psychological and moral defect that has caused more harm to our nation than any outside enemy ever could.
Joe should put on his pink underwear and wander around in the desert until he can understand the moral, legal and physical damage he and his political supporters have caused to the American people.
5
A terrifying confluence of stupidity and evil.
4
Thank GOD! Hopefully now he will QUIETLY go off into the sunset ................
4
Arpaio is a malevolent and malicious man who is admired by
an amoral president. The fact that right-wing evangelicals praise and embrace Trump as their standard bearer merely affirms
the pathetic state of their religion.
8
Best news I've heard all day.
1
Too bad Arpaio isn't 50 years old. We could appoint him to head up ICE for the next 20 years. My guess is that the rate of illegal immigration would drop significantly.
2
@Robert
It wouldn't. However, if Missouri is looking for a washed up, deranged Legend in His Own Mind failure of a human, Arizona would be happy to let him immigrate to your state.
4
thank you for labeling him sadist. That is exactly what he is. There is nothing worse than a sadist with power.
12
He may well become Trump's replacement for AG Sessions.
2
Counting your chickens a bit prematurely. The Governor could name him to fill McCain's seat. Unlikely but it would curry favor with the arch-conservative vote.
The Arizona governor still has to appoint a replacement for Senator McCain. :>(
I doubt decent people will miss Arpaio.
3
A fitting end would have been in court
3
Arpaio and Kelli Ward have both been thoroughly and appropriately repudiated for their revolting behavior.
4
The authorities have been aware of the despicable and inhuman practices employed by Arpaio for years and years. Why did intervention into the torture perpetuated upon those under his purview take so long? Why such indifference to how "prisoners" were being treated? The story of this sadist must also include ownership on the part of the authorities assigned to ensure and protect those in prison basic human rights and treatment. As he recedes from public life, my final sentiment to Sheriff Arpaio is that intentional cruelty is unforgivable.
296
@Radio Guy: You are correct in noting that his supervisors bear some responsibility for his actions. Unfortunately, his ultimate supervisors, the voters of Maricopa County, maintained their support despite knowing who he was. These same people will, even now, remind you that our current president is one of the finest our country has ever seen. Sadly, I suspect that the only cure for this attitude is attrition. Only as the older generations are replaced by mildly less offensive younger generations will our county dig itself out of this hole.
3
@Radio Guy-Good points. In addition to his lawlessness and cruelty, he cost taxpayers millions. Perhaps that's what finally got authorities to uphold their offices and the rule of law.
1
Perhaps Trump can find him a place in Washington, as an advisor on child welfare or some such.
6
The moral of Tuesday's primary results? Don't count your blue wave until it hatches. The Republicans who won the primaries are all electable. Not so much their Democrat counterparts.
1
@Uysses,
Exactly. First there was all this talk of a women’s movement.
Trump won the white woman vote, as did Roy Moore. Yes more white women are running for office
But the real change and energy has been from people (men and women) of color.
The blue wave hasn’t been proven yet. Lots of almost special election wins (ie losses)
And in Florida the total number of GOP primary voters exceeded Democratic voters by a wide margin.
So nice to see an increase in turnout, but still only 31% for Democrats (35% for GOP)
And well put again about electability.
I will vote for Gillum
But a progressive, a black progressive no less, winning in Florida?
Unlikely.
1
Sad but true.
As a Phoenix resident, my only wish is for this to be the last media article or commentary I see discussing Arpaio. I'm sure civil rights and legal textbooks will find a place for him alongside Bull Connor, but please Media, no more.
This man is no longer news.
7
Thank you for reminding us of yet another of our "so called" president's blatant Racist behaviors. Pardoning this man who represents everything that is wrong with our criminal justice system is almost as obscene as the crimes he committed. We are living thru tragic times as we watch a President who clearly has no "sense of decency," the words uttered by Joseph Welch that led to the end of the Joseph McCarthy inquisition. We can only wonder when a truly patriotic Republican will stand and say it again.
"Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"
How about today with the death of a true American Patriot, John McCain?
2
Mr. Arpaio's failure to garner 20%+ of R voters probably matches POTUS core supporters. Those same malcontents who HRC characterized as deplorables. What we see each and every day is a segment of our adult age population who disgust most people and get the lions share of publicity. The other 20%? Those were protest voters. Everyone loves seeing a car wreck. We have one each and every day in the WH.
4
It is fitting to celebrate Arpaio's defeat in the primary, but presumptuous to think that it mean he fades into the Red Rock sunset. His enablers are many, including a large coterie in the Oval Office. This will not be his last gasp, nor will the poisonous ideas and actions he endorses suddenly disappear.
224
@Brian Ellerbeck
Those poisonous ideas are right up trump's alley. That's why trump likes him.
I can just imagine that trump wishes he could do the same as Arpaio did when dealing with prisoners. In trump's case, his "enemies." Namely those who criticize him or don't kowtow to him.
2
@Brian Ellerbeck
Please don't spoil my mental images of Sedona by using Arpaio and Red Rocks in the same sentence.
Let me continue to imagine him a desert dust devil, stirring up nothing but dirt on a vast sea of nothing.
1
Don't worry campers. He's perfect Trump material. Trump will find something odious for him. He's not done destroying lives.
6
@David Henry Exactly. Trump will appoint him head of a new Cabinet-level department: Secretary of Caged Undocumented Children.
3
It may seem beside the point to say that the voters of Arizona knew who this man was and yet kept re-electing him over and over again.
No amount of documentation as to his criminal nature, his sadism and his ignorance was sufficient to sway our friends in the Copper State from changing their minds about him.
The lesson, if there is one, is that ignorance is an enduring trait and those who are cursed with it are unlikely to ever recover.
I will leave it to the reader to consider whether there is some lesson to be drawn regarding our ignoramus in chief.
4
@Lkf The lesson, if there is one, is that racism is an enduring trait and those who are cursed with it never recover.
It's still possible for him to be appointed to the vacant McCain seat.
1
"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."
Senator McCain sure knew how to hit the nail on the head....
5
No doubt when Arpaio actually does "pass," his presidential pardoner will be only too eager to lower the White House flag to half staff and deliver a fulsome, albeit semi-literate, eulogy at his funeral. May he be the only one in attendance.
8
This week an article that caught my attention immediately was: "Well, at least Sheriff Joe Isn't Going to Congress"
On August 29, 2018 an article about the loss of Joe Arpaio. " Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., who so robustly devoted himself to terrorizing immigrants that he was eventually convicted of contempt of court and would have lived out his twilight years with a well-deserved criminal record if President Trump, a staunch admirer of Mr. Arpaio’s bare-knuckle approach to law enforcement, had not granted him a pardon."
To elucidate, he isn't actually dead. Michelle Cottle from Nytimes states that,"Mr. Arpaio’s dream of returning to elective office, however, has been dealt what is most likely a fatal blow by his loss in Arizona’s Republican primary for the Senate. Cast aside and left to wallow in the knowledge that his moment has passed, he has a fitting end to the public life of a true American villain."
Sheriff Joe was the owner of a rather gruesome prison. Cottle stated, His 24-year reign of terror was medieval in its brutality. He set up an outdoor “tent city,” which he once referred to as a “concentration camp,” to hold the overflow of prisoners. Inmates were beaten, fed rancid food, denied medical care (this included pregnant women) and, in at least one case, left battered on the floor to die.
As good as this news is, it' is frightening to know that he got almost 80,000 votes (or 20%) , according to an early report by CNN. 80,000 votes who obviously celebrate his felonies, defiance of the rule of law, impossition of long outlawed methods of control and otrture in the camps he ran, all in clear violations of basic human rights. That the current occupant of the WH calls him a "true patriot" anh pardoned him is a sad commentary on the state of this nation. Be very afraid...
5
These are the kind of op/eds that make me want to pull my hair out. It seems the left always wants to comfort itself in them, yet they offer no comfort. They highlight trivia as if it’s meaningful. It’s not! It’s just silly cocktail banter devoted to infamous celebrities. With Arpaio’s loss in the primaries, we won nothing. There is no trend this suggests. People who think just like this loser are still firmly in power and running the show. There is no point devoting an entire editorial to this. Marking and taking comfort in these non-events is what leads the left to find comfort in that all too common Election Day headline: “Good news for Democrats; they lose by smaller numbers!”
3
@Karl
You have my permission to pull your hair out.
Arpaio is pretty much now considered a joke here in the metro Phoenix area. I’m guessing that his 20% came from his hometown of Fountain Hills & Paul Gosar’s district. The former sheriff cost the state $145 million in legal fees - something voters should never forget.
A few other highlight’s from yesterday’s Arizona primaries:
* Incumbent Secretary of State Michele Reagan was trounced by her opponent, Steve Gaynor. For those of you not familiar with Ms. Reagan, she was the SOS during the 2016 primary who reduced the number of polling places in Maricopa county to 70 from 200. Also, yesterday, her office sent a email blast telling voters that they can vote NEXT Tuesday, August 28. Good riddance!
* The Arizona Democratic party did a great job getting out the vote.
6
@JCAZ -- I hear you, but it gives me the creeps that Arpaio got 20% of the vote in AZ (and 20% in Maricopa Co), won Yuma county, and beat Kelli Ward in multiple counties.
Worse yet, look at the obvious: Kelli Ward and Arpaio split the Trump vote, the hater vote. 48% of Arizona Republicans voted for either Arpaio or Ward, the latter the most sycophantic Trump kissup headed to be the next Bridget Kelly we've ever seen.
McSally at least "isn't nuts," though she appears to be a doctrinaire ideological Hayekian, if not the handmaiden of big business interests. (A lot of the latter masquerade as the former.)
Her doctrinaire right-wing denial of global warming sadly proves some combination of stupid and so tribal that she is unable to look at blatant facts right in front of her face now, and change her mind. She cannot be really stupid, so the degree of tribal/ideological blinding is scary.
What makes this particularly ridiculous is that Arizona produces little oil and natural gas, but sure has a lot of sun.
Odds are on her side now to be Arizona's next senator. Pathetically that might end up worse for America in the long term than Arpaio ... loony loose cannons who embarrass their own party nationally usually get little done.
1
Ms. Cottle, my apologies for skimming this profile of a public official who was on his way to Congress. A little too graphic in his manner and behavior to digest, and another serpent under the rock revealed to the Public.
Kissinger once admitted that he regretted telling Barbara Walters in an interview that he saw himself riding off into the sunset, the lone cowboy of America, but then Ms. Walters had a knack for getting her guests to sound awkward.
One thing that we are learning somewhat painfully and the hard way is that there is always going to be a 'Sheriff Joe' in our midst. He was the security guard in prison camps, just carrying out his duty; doing his job, and no questions asked. Perhaps you remember hearing of the 95 year-old Nazi living an exemplar life in New Jersey, now a 'Latecomer' on his way back to his country of origin, where he is not going to get a warm welcome.
On occasion, 'Mr. Stupid', as he is also known, walks among us on a sunny day, and attracts followers. You will find these in 'I Have Always Lived in The Castle', by a fine American author, Shirley Jackson, who knew how to depict cruelty and predators of the vulnerable and forgotten ones.
Needless to say, it is a relief to know that public representatives and servants of Arizona have a long green mile, where they are not going to tolerate these damaged individuals, who are border-line psychopaths.
As for poor Trump, he has to go.
5
It’s actually We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Amazing book. Its portrait of superstition, small-mindedness, greed, fear of the other and a host of other social
Ills, not to mention the mystery at its core and the gripping prose/characters, are just brilliant.
3
Well said. Truthfully & to the point. Thank you.
2
It is people like the former sheriff who threaten the rule of law, democracy and the constitution of the United States. Where does someone like that come from? What dark hole did he crawl out of ignoring every aspect of American idealism that makes this a nation apart from a many others around the world? More importantly, how was he allowed to maintain his reign of terror in Arizona for so long?
Arpaio, like dozens of historical race baiters and would be "strong men" who came before him, would be happier in a totally fascist state than in a democracy with the push and pull of human rights as a prime consideration. In the east, Philadelphia was ruled over for years by an ex-police chief turned mayor, Joe Rizzo, who attempted to rule with an iron fist while African-American citizens began to rise up and demand full participation in the economic and social life of the city.
Rizzo in Philadelphia, Arpaio in Arizona, the late George Wallace in Alabama and many others show that democracy is not secure without the support, and votes, of people who believe our problems can be resolved through moderate, not radical, means.
Trump's pardoning of the crypto-fascist Arpaio was an insult to the legal system and to all American citizens. It shows clearly the direction Trump wants to take the nation and should be a call to everyone to stand against the march toward a dictatorship and more ethnic and racial division across our country.
5
Arpaio isn't going to Congress. Judge Roy Moore isn't going to be a senator. In spite of despicable Donald Trump putting his seal of approval on these despicable men.
I'm reminded of President Obama quoting Martin Luther King:
The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice."
Thanks, Obama.
Meanwhile, how about that Andrew Gillum?
6
How did Arpaio get elected in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth place?
218
@et.al.nyc - Sheriff of Maricopa County is essentially a trivial position, responsible for administration of the County Jail and for law enforcement within County-controlled land. The Sheriff's Office does not control City law enforcement and probably 98% of Maricopa County falls under the authority of the City of Phoenix, or Scottsdale, Glendale or any of the other cities there. No one much cared who the County Jail administrator was.
2
@et.al.nyc unfortunately in Maricopa county we have a large population of snowbirds who only live here half the year but somehow are able to vote in our elections. So, you have your fellow east coasters and midwesterners to thank for his repeated re-election. Those of us who are from Az are no fan of Joe. He's an embarrassment to our state.
4
@et.al.nyc. I can answer that. His "base" consists of Sun City residents and he plays to their fears. These are mostly retired seniors that live in a series of communities that exclude all but seniors, mostly white, conservative and non-taxpaying. These folks sponge off the county and refuse to incorporate so that they can pay their own way. Their strength is the vote. And Sheriff Joe plays to them.
3
Exciting news. I may consider a short vacation in Arizona this winter.
1
His quarter century of terror, happened in essentially the most recent quarter century.
His shame is our shame, our country's shame and disgrace.
Were you there for the last quarter century NYT?
Where was "heroic" John McCain the last quarter century?
Where were the state and federal authorities and courts the last quarter century? The people of Arizona?
That he could do what he did, now, in our times, shows nothing is impossible. Hence Trump as president. Mnuchin as Treasury Secretary. Ross as Commerce Secretary. Devos as Education Secretary. Pruitt at the EPA. And on and on...
4
Arpaio's career may be at an end, but his refusal to admit any error or concede any defeat, adopting ever more bizarre conspiracy theories to explain them away, clearly lives on in the White House.
5
Fortunately Arpaio lost badly when he faced the voters, but he will always the poster boy for all of Mr.Trump’s wildest most sinister ambitions.He thinks Arpaio is a “great man”-It takes one to know one!
4
I still find it hard to believe that this man was a Sheriff for over two decades---an unquestioned white nationalists as the one of the Chief law enforcement officers in Arizona.
6
"The two men are brothers in arms, fighting the good fight against the invading hordes of immigrants — and their liberal enablers, of course. And if that requires dismissing the Constitution and destroying the rule of law, so be it. What true patriot would object to a few tent cities or human rights violations when the American way of life is in mortal peril?"
Those three small sentences are the centerpiece of the culture war in both of our countries. The younger generation will decide the fate of the "American (and Canadian) way". Cultural extremism gets watered down by the children of immigrants who grow up in a pluralistic, tolerant, affluent society. Young people are just too preoccupied trying to stay happy and enjoy their lives to be bothered with such trunk. There will be a new "American (and) Canadian way" that we can all live with.
1
The gall this guy has. A con who got a shady pardon from Trump and thinks he deserve even higher office?
5
Sometimes the Devil wears a suit and tie, sometimes he wears a collar, and sometimes he wears a badge.
10
@LarryAt27N ...and, sometimes the electoral college elects him president.
What is so amazing to me is that he wd even get 60,000 votes! Truly, who is the USA? I can't imagine ever, ever, ever supporting a Republican and/or an Evangelical for office the rest of my life and this is a v sad statement for me to make given my upbringing.
2
@dolly patterson Who is the USA ? Citizens growing ever tired of crime upon crime ! That's who. We need more law enforcement offers who terrify criminals. Maybe then the rest of us can sleep a little easier.
@Piotr The crime upon crime detailed in this story belong to Joe Arpaio. Your post sounds as if you are referring to comic book characters. Which is a major problem in the US, i.e. people thinking movies, TV shows and comic books reflect real life. And why not? They are much more entertaining and offer the kind of easy answers you seem to want, regardless of how wrong the answers are.
3
@Piotr-- read any Dostoyevsky? I gather not.
Arizona did not solidly reject him yet, as Martha McSally supported his pardon. The only way Arizona can end the stain on its honor is by punishing her for that. She should not be able to weasel her way around the issue of supporting him, simply because he later chose to run against her.
6
Ms. Cottle - Even though he has been pardoned, the felony conviction still stands on his record unless expunged by a court. This means that the Arizona Republican Party leaders allowed a convicted felon to be on the ticket; he could have been sworn but not hold chairmanships. Congress could have refused to seat him, which is anyone's call with this bunch of Russo-Republicans in power.
6
Arpaio's appearance on Who Is America was also a fitting denouement. He seems to embody what Arizona has become politically. Thank you, NYT, for calling out this important non-event.
3
The next Jeff Sessions. But MUCH worse.
Seriously.
3
He also faked being the victim of an attempted bomb assassination in order get support for his election. And framed a guy a for it. The victim - James Saville - spent THREE YEARS in jail before finally going to trial, where a jury acquitted him, and where it was found that the Sheriff bought the bomb parts himself.
9
One item that I'd like to expand upon is how much money Joe Arpaio cost the citizens of Maricopa County and the State of Arizona. "Paid out tens of millions" doesn't do service to what Sheriff Joe took directly out of taxpayers' pockets.
The tab for paying for Arpaio's fines cost citizens $146 million dollars. That's 1/7 of a billion dollars. To pay the fines for what one man did. Arpaio, like his pardon-granting friend Donald Trump, is the incarnation of everything vile in an individual.
8
Sounds like there’s plenty to investigate still. So many breaches of the law. Arrest and convict him again.
4
I am no fan of Martha McSally (nor Kelli Ward, for that matter), but it does appear that the AZ voters managed to pick the lesser of three evils. Normally, that isn’t saying much, but much like how Alabama barely missed having Roy Moore as a Senator, it kind of is in this day and age.
2
I hear a lot of desire to see Trump imprisoned here. I think most people are feeling this way lately. His constant crimes against the interests of the American people may well land him in jail; he doubts this and would like to censor these views, but I feel a tide rising up against him that will be unstoppable in the end. No wonder he want to censor the media. There are so many factual and disgusting stories about him that he should resign immediately. Now before the tide rises which is inevitable. Funny thing is Trump knows how everything can turn on a dime.
3
@Uofcenglish -- I despise Donald Trump, but I do not see evidence of the crime that would put him in jail. One might append "yet" to that sentence ... the stench of grifting and fraud and abuse hangs about him so thickly you know there's more corruption unseen. But until something more comes out, he probably will stay out of jail.
Remember, he can only be indicted AFTER he is out of office.
The Cohen/Pecker revelations about the payoffs make him an unindicted co-conspirator. Cohen has plead guilty and is going to jail. Logically Pecker should be more vulnerable than Cohen -- The Pecker/Trump deal is the corruption here, because Trump DIDN'T pay it out of his own pocket.
Pecker used AMI corporate funds as an illegal campaign contribution and to buy influence -- this is grossly illegal, but hard to prosecute AND they gave him immunity! Will there be a prosecution of Trump for this crime using Pecker as a witness? Don't bet on it.
Prosecuting Trump for the illegal campaign donation (and the tax fraud involved in how Cohen's repayment was structured to conceal it) of the Cliffords payoff will be hard. It fails "the Monica test" ... the fact of the matter is that people discounted Bill's perjury about adultery, and they'll discount Trump trying to cover up old adulteries too.
Trump may end up paying some fines, but he'll stay out of jail unless there's something much worse that what we know now,
I don't see this piece as "celebrating" Arpaio's demise, but as an affirmation that our system can fend off the Trump's bullying and his fomenting a white nationalist creed. Well written and supported.
2
This was an article I was waiting for, thank you for laying it out in such a clean manner. I celebrate the fact that this man is going away into oirrelevance, but I am worried at how many people in his department, that he probably hired, managed to operate under the radar. His enablers are equally worthy of our criticism, and must be exposed.
2
Arpaio is a symptom of the racist legacy in Arizona that goes back decades. I lived in Santa Fe, NM in the mid 1970's, and the cultural difference between New Mexico and Arizona was starck. New Mexico has three official languages, English, Spanish, and the collection of Indian languages. The three cultures lived in relative harmony not Arizona were segregation between the three cultures was rigid and on display in laundromats, grocery stores, and neighborhoods. I hope the racist legacy in Arizona will fade the way Arpaio justifiably deserved who caught a break from prison by the racist in the White House.
2
This man was VOTED in as sheriff. He may be responsible for all his detestable actions, but are the voters not also responsible? Both those who voted for him, and those who failed to go to the voting booth and vote him out?
4
It is hard to believe that the voter who sent John McCain, a true patriot and man of character, to Washington tolerated the sadist Arpaio for 25 years. I realize that it was just the voters of Maricopa County that kept him in office but the fact that the State of Arizona did not step in and stop his human rights violations, not to mention the Federal government, is deeply disturbing. He should have been in prison a long time ago.
4
Joe Arpaio is 86 years ago and still running for political office?! We may not have seen the last of him. Worse yet, Trump is creating a whole country full of such people and they're running for political office. We may as well call them the "Un-Americans" because that's who they are. Never underestimate the political power of hate in America. Arapio is a crowned prince in that kingdom, even if Arizona has rejected him.
1
Many heartfelt thanks to the people of Arizona who voted against this awful man.
It swings my pendulum to some hope – at least for today.
Otherwise, it is a daily battle to believe that the systems put in place by our founding fathers will triumph over the whipped up fear and demagoguery we are being pummeled with daily.
I hope our country survives.
12
Arpaio was a thug disguised as a sheriff and perfect complement to Trump, another thug disguised as President.
14
But still horrifying that he received 20% of the votes.
18
Therefore accountable.
1
I am not a US citizen. I did, however, live and study in the US for a year in the early 90s. During that year I went with friends on a two month roadtrip across the continent - from NYC south to New Orleans, west acrsoss the southwestern deserts to California, back northeast across the Rockies to the the great plains and Chicago before returning to NYC. 14,000 miles total.
On this trip I met many Americans in many states of the country and the one common trait I experienced was this: An unexpected and heartwarming humanity, willingness to help, hospitality, curiosity and an overall friendliness devoid of xenophobic angst and paranoia. Granted, I'm a white northern European but I was driving a beat up Mercury Grand Marquis with NY plates with 4 other 6-7' guys!
The America I got to know and love is not the America I recognize now. The divides created by the current administration and its supporters are so deep and the rhetoric and inflamed tempers on both sides are a sad sight to watch. It seems that people, like mr. Arpaio and Donald J. Trump have tapped into the ugly, festering underbelly of America and legitimized hate, paranoia, division, entrenchment and tribalism over what I think is what it truly means to be American.
This is what I think is the saddest outcome and something I hope the American populace will reflect upon as they head to the polls in November.
1500
@Jacob -- I'm not white, Northern European, male, or 6-7' tall, but I've long had the same feeling about American generosity, hospitality, kindness, and open-heartedness. My parents said the same thing too, after their experience of living here for five years in the 60s. Now, I'm often afraid to venture on my own into white-majority places, to malls, the gas station, the farmer's market. I cringe when a pick-up slows down near me as I'm walking down the street. My friends have been spat at and racially harassed. "The saddest outcome" indeed. But a thought that keeps me going is that human nature doesn't change that easily. Many of the Americans I have loved were swayed by Arpaio's madness, but evidently the infatuation faded. I would love to know how and why.
34
@Jacob--Unfortunately you are correct. It's your white skin that gave you the right to see America at its best. But it was the same, and more blatant then, that the Greatness of America (hence Make America Great again) was only for "our own", or white people. That much hasn't changed for an unbelievably high percentage of white Americans. That's why so many people are incenced and cannot understand taking a knee to call out how African Americans are treated by society. Because white people claim the flag as "their flag" instead of everyone's flag. What is disheartening for me as a white 60-year-old with grandchildren is that we thought things were changing, through just living/working/going to school with people different from ourselves, a smarter look at our history, and a healthy dose of good legislation. But the pull is too strong to our own corner. America is no worse than any country, but we sure are vocal in our hatefulness. The American idea is so much purer than its population.
18
@Jacob...and it all brings a smile to Mr. Putin's face. He had no idea this all would be so easy.
3
Arizona reportedly has more native species of rattlesnake, (11), than any other state. The would be Senator would have made that an even dozen, but he was to modest to claim the honor.
Having spent the past few months in Arizona has gained me a few useful insights. There's really no way to tell if you're talking to a rattlesnake lover. The most normal and friendly people can be the most rattling away inside. But I've also learned that if you have a flat, or a dead battery, you're more likely to be assisted by a pick-up truck with a gun rack than a Volvo with a kayak on top. It's very confusing, and yet, in a strange way, offers hope. As does Arizona's defeat of this particular rattlesnake.
412
@Sera: it’s probably more a matter of technical expertise than friendliness. Volvo owners most likely don’t work on their own vehicles, while truck owners tend to learn about car engines in the course of growing up.
8
@Sera When I was stationed at Luke AFB outside Phoenix in 1982, I learned that of the 22 species of venomous scorpion native to the Southwest, 19 of them were in Arizona.
See? It isn't just snakes like Arpaio who are dangerous.
4
@Sera
What did rattlesnakes ever do to you? Your distaste for Joe Arpaio is justified, but no reason to malign the fauna of Arizona. Rattlesnakes are beautiful and efficient animals who are vital to the ecology of the Southwest.
4
The dog chased the kid every day as he walked home.
One day the kid stops and punches the dog in the nose.
Next day the dog sits and watches the kid pass by.
@Peter Marquie -- your story is made up, nobody ever "punches a dog in the nose," get real.
These made-up revenge tropes are pathetic in and of themselves, but if your goal is to suggest that somehow poor Joe Arpaio is the kid in the story, stop. Just stop.
1
I am not a lawyer, but it seems to me that if only a fraction of Arpaio’s actions told in this story are true he must have violated many Arizona state laws. Why hasn’t the state charged him with any crimes? Total corruption!
My reading of the Constitution is that the president cannot pardon a person for convictions of violation of state law. Where is the AG of Arizona?
7
If Arpaio had committed these crimes outside the US, we’d be calling for a trial at The Hague for crimes against humanity. He committed these crimes for a quarter century in the US, and I am calling for him to stand trial for crimes against humanity.
18
This is a very, very premature farewell.
In Trump's America there are thousands of "Arpaios" mixed into the ranks of our police departments and law enforcement agencies and hundreds of thousands more itching to get their hands on a gun and a badge. This November, vote like your life depended on it. It just might.
20
I have yet to understand how Arpaio's fans, raised as Christians, church- going to some degree, can turn out so badly. ''Love thy neighbor'', ''do unto others'' sound so hollow. The rise of mega churches-- can you imagine a parish of 10,000? --and their evangelical Elmer Gantry preaching is in direct opposition to their prejudices and bigotry.
The newest religious cult is Trump. We all agree he is the embodiment of everything that Obama isn't. He has become, in his vainglorious insanity, the epitome of everything decent people abhor. i have no idea how to convince his followers of their errors in worshiping him. One should have pity for them when they wake up and smell the coffee.
12
As a Democrat, I was hoping this sadistic racist would win, giving the Democrats a better chance. But for better or worse, a moderate Republican who is tip toeing around Trump, won.
I hope Krysten Sinema will keep running footage of Trump disrespecting Sen. McCain.
4
Note Arpaio still got nearly 20% of the vote. That's an alarming number of supporters.
3
I look forward to the day I learn that Joe Arpaio is very ill or has died.
I'd prefer hearing he is very ill. And then after a long painful battle, that he died.
He is an awful individual and far beyond sadistic. He belongs in jail and his Trump pardon is disgraceful.
2
The good news is Ward and Arpaio, together, didn't outdraw McSally. The bad news is McSally is only a degree less crazy.
Let's talk again on November 9.
3
@goofnoff - The television ad for Congresswoman McSally focused on her military time, not her political actions and decisions. She is a Trump apologist who scrapes and bows to his every crazy whim. Military service isn't proof of political courage . GEN John Kelly?
2
This article is poetry in prose. At a furious pace and with sharp irony, Ms. Cottle composes the litany of offenses, abuses and corruptive practices of the former sheriff, the mercenary cop. Then the author reminds us his unethical behavior went on for decades, with impunity, shamelessly: Arpaio's case is more reminiscent of warlords in other places, not the U.S.
What a sigh of relief knowing this bigot will never be part of the Senate!
The country needs to know these stories, about these characters, and the consequences of their misguided "public service."
Let's rejoice in his defeat.
12
This is not s fitting end to Arpaio. He deserved his time in jail, surrounded by those he tormented for so long.
4
@A.L. Grossi. He would be in jail if the state of Arizona would charge and convict him of a few of the crimes he has committed. Why don't they? The AG and gov and probably most of the citizens of Arizona agree with Arpaio's tactics. What is wrong with America? What is wrong with Americans? Why are we still harvesting the seeds of racism and bigotry built into our constitution. That was supposed to have been settled, at least as far as laws and gov't are concerned, by the Civil War, over 150 years ago.
2
What always astounded me was the support he garnered year after year from the electorate. Every Arizonan lives and works with Hispanic neighbors, citizens ( whose birthrights in Arizona long proceeded Anglos and other sun birds) , and immigrants. Yet they embraced a vicious hater who lacked respect for humanity AND cost the taxpayers million$$.
No doubt Arizonans love and respect their neighbors, as they cheered on the sadistic Arpaio.
If you can explain this example of cognitive dissonance, you can explain the Trump phenomenon.
2
“No doubt Arizonans love and respect their neighbors”? Nah. They’re racist if they support Arpaio and/or Trump. Simple simple simple as that.
2
I'd make a serious wager that throughout Arpaio's birther campaign that he was the "secret source" that Trump claimed he had to prove Obama was not born in the U.S. I'll bet still that there's some paper trail that shows the two of them were in constant contact when the issue reached critical mass in the media.
4
This despicable man will be dangerous until the day he dies. It is foolish to write him off. He will find ways to make even more trouble.
11
@Mark I agree. He will be aided and abetted by trump.
1
Another sad, scant man lionized by a fractured and morally bereft Republican party and then relegated to the refuse heap of history. One can only hope that they will one day awaken and say, "My God -- what have we done?"
Good bye, Joe.
We're glad to see you go.
4
I live in the same town as Arpaio. Tonight, I drove past a little diner on a dimly lit little side street. There was a massive Joe Arpaio campaign bus parked out front, and maybe 10-12 cars. Was this his post-election party? I don't know. But I'd like to think that it was. The pathetic, dying last gasps of a pathetic, dying ideology.
As a blue-stater deep behind red state enemy lines, I take my joys where I can find them.
28
"Cast aside and left to wallow in the knowledge that his moment has passed, he has a fitting end to the public life of a true American villain."
Let's hope so.
After all, Trump will be shopping for a new Attorney General after the mid-terms. He ticks all of Trump's boxes for the perfect member of his cabinet:
- Racist
- No respect for the Constitution
- Profoundly ignorant
- Impervious to shame, facts, and court orders
- Would fire Mueller, investigate Clinton, anything to protect Trump.
Of course this is ridiculous. Senate Republicans would stand up to Trump. Draw a redline.
Has to be a line somewhere. Right? ... Right?
3
Arpaio is Trump without the money. People like Arpaio look at people like Trump and say, "I could be him." It is aspirational evil.
6
It is good to plumb the sick depths of someone like the Sheriff AND HIS MANY SUPPORTERS because it will give you some idea of what is coming for our democracy when the pendulum does swing and Trumpians start losing elections in the Fall. The President has just begun to gird support for his gun toting supporters by making the ludicrous claims that we progressives and liberals are going to use violence against Evangelical Christians.
Laugh at this absurdity but I will tell you that many in his audience believe him... Let's hope that the FBI has started to penetrate these new militias because they are there. The militias were there in case Hillary won and we would have seen them in action and it wouldn't have been pretty. With Trump and the Republicans controlling Congress for 60 days or so after this coming election that could lose them the House, expect lots of dirty tricks.
Because that is what the Republicans are about... Arpaio is just the tip of the iceberg that the good ship USA is headed for...
15
@Bill Cullen, Author Right on. Meanwhile Dems will be fighting for new LGBQXYZ protections while Trump and Company are busy burning everything down, including their glorified "economy."
I don't understand how those hellish prisons were allowed to operate with such impunity. It's beyond criminal that nobody at the state or federal level was looking out for the rights of those human beings for those many years. My heart aches for America's lost soul.
3
@nicki It is a county jail, under local laws. But, one would think that even in the county there would be humane individuals in charge and state oversight.
2
Given the many unexplained deaths of people in his custody, it's a shame he can't be prosecuted for 2nd degree murder or, at least, manslaughter.
18
Arpaio made sad clowns of U.S. Justice Department Civil Rights Division -- no matter which President before Trump. They never truly went after Arpaio and his sadistic, evil tactics to protect and uphold the rule of law. Disgraceful and spineless.
9
I disagree with the author that losing this election is "a fitting end to the public life of a truly sadistic man."
A fitting end would see this truly evil man subjected to harsh physical punishment and incarceration for the remainder of his miserable life.
Arpaio was an unjust and sadistic abuser of humanity for long before he began his campaign to persecute immigrants.
4
I wouldn't count Joe out. Trump will create a new cabinet post for him, or put him in charge of ICE. Don Blankenship is looking for a gig, too. Department of Energy, perhaps?
4
Sick, sad, and disturbing, that Trump considers Arpaio and not John McCain, a patriot. Even worse, that millions of Americans and just about every cowardly Republican elected official, endorses it.
6
Year ago, one of the cable TV networks offered a show about Arpaio's women's chain gangs. Viewers learned how women awaiting trial or convicted of traffic, DUI, and minor drug offenses, worked for hours in the hot sun receiving little water and allowed no bathroom breaks. The conclusion of the show involved beaten down women smiling up at Arpaio acknowledging their wrongs and pledging obedience so they could stay on his good side. Arpaio has been around for a long time and he has targeted the poor regardless of their skin tone. People absorb the values imparted to them through TV shows just as the people of medieval times absorbed lessons taught to them at public hangings and more grisly public executions. Our current executive leadership came to power as a celebrity on a scripted show.
4
If there's any justice, Arpaio's scandalous pardon ought to be rescinded as illegitimate immediately following Trump's removal from office. So looking forward to the day!
3
Of course, it would have been better had he won, since he would have been much easier to win against in November than McSally. :-(
Per Arizona Game & Fish there are THIRTEEN species of rattlesnake native to our fair state. Sheriff Joe is not one of them. He is a Massachusetts native.
5
@Jeff Gerleman: He's been working the Arizona henhouse a long time thanks to Arizona voters. Thank God they gave him the boot this time.
I think Joe might be Trumps new AG after the mid terms.
2
The only solace I get is remembering that the USA survived Joseph McCarthy. However, McCarthy was not a seeming puppet of a foreign adversary... I mean Putin, not Trudeau.
3
One bad apple gone. A lot more to go.
2
What makes me think that he won't come out of the woodwork in a few years and run again?
"Some might consider it ungenerous to celebrate Mr. Arpaio’s electoral failure and continuing slide into irrelevance."
Why would anyone, and I mean anyone, claim it is ungenerous to celebrate Arpaio's failure? If you are truly a Republican (and I do not mean core trump supporters), then you respect law and order, of which Arpaio thumbed his nose. Arpaio is truly a reprehensible human being whose words only reflect his narcissistic egoism. Does that sound like anyone else we know?
11
How ironic that one "pardoned" convicted fellon and an unindicted co-conspirator continually accused others of committing crimes with total impunity.
At least Arizona has just put one of them out of political circulation. One down, one still to go.
6
Why did we see "the like of him" at all?
Why was he only prosecuted for contempt of court, when his crimes were far more numerous and cruel?
Why did officials in Texas allow him to continue his reign of terror year after year?
Why did the voters?
Racist and abusive policing is a cancer on our criminal justice system. It is time for us all to follow Colin Kaepernick's lead and take a knee, then demand a complete overhaul of police policies and procedures across America to ensure that law enforcement is conducted in a manner befitting a society dedicated to decency, fairness, and the rule of law.
4
@Teg Laer arpaio is from Arizona not Texas.
Αnd yet 20% still voted for this man, despite this awful record, and despite his 86 years of age.
12
Such a balanced article about a guy in his 80s.
Not.
He was a great sheriff
He kept crime in check and he did not give criminals the upper hand.
The Feds had a vendetta against him.
And what would you say to the sex assault victims whose cases he refused to investigate?
8
Joe has done Nothing Wrong. He is the Model for American Progress. Joe is only Getting Back the jobs that have been Stolen from good American Men & Women. I don't believe in violence and I'm sure Joe does not either. FALSE ACCUSATIONS against Joe are from those that would Detroy the American Way. Joe Does Not need a pardon for Joe has done Nothing wrong. Yes Joe does deserve Respect and Followers to keep his righteous ways and to keep our Borders Secure.
How much hate allowed this man to get elected time and time again now people finally realize what an evil devil he was. Arpaio was born two hundred years to late, he and thousands like him are the true picture of the hate that is America.
We need to get beyond racism, and what happened to the people who carried out Arpaio's arrests? Where are the missing children under the Trump reign of terror.
3
Given the number of deaths in Arpaio’s jail, he no doubt was criminally responsible at least for negligent homicide. That neither the Arizona or US authorities sought to investigate and prosecute is evidence of a truly rancid criminal justice system that favors the well-connected and persecutes the weak and poor.
16
And what of the law breaking of those who think immigration law is optional? Most of the Democratic Party is guilty on that count.
Oh, no. Celebrate away. There is so little worth celebrating these days.
3
Let's not forget that Sheriff Joe committed all his atrocities with the approval of the good people of Maricopa County. He was elected over and over during his 24 years and received accolades from constituents, who loved his style and were in agreement with his methods. Corrupt and sadistic law enforcement like Joe's doesn't operate in a vacuum. No one was blind to what Joe was doing in his jail--indeed, he bragged about his tough treatment of inmates. Arizona Republicans finally were embarrassed enough to let Joe go, but the citizens of Maricopa County still have a lot to answer for.
410
@Ms. Pea He did lose his last sheriff election so maybe the voters in Pima County are coming out of it.
@Ms. Pea
Ditto this when the press goes about asking why "reasonable Republicans" don't break with Trump. Republican voters want it that way.
They own it all -- the cruelty towards have-nots, the hypocrisy of so-called Christian values, the corruption endemic in the party, the racism and sexism, the trashing of the environment and risking of the planet, the whole mess. It's the Republican voters who are accountable for this and, until shown otherwise, I have to assume they are OK with it ... even the ones I know and go to church with.
2
Michelle Cottle's eulogy for the public life of this "true American villain" is superb. I look forward to reading what she writes for Trump's exit.
34
@Susan I'm looking forward to Trumps exit. LOL!!!
1
I lived and worked in Phoenix during Joe Arpaio's reign of terror. I was a librarian, managing a busy branch library in the city of Phoenix. Arpaio's tenacles reached even into an institution as benign as Phoenix's wonderful library system.
He had a group of his henchman "raid" one of the library branchs with automatic weapons visibly strapped to their legs, on the guise that "illegal immigrants" might possibly be working on the cleaning staff of the library.
So malignant was he to the immigrant families and children of the city that Hispanic families were fearful of even appllying for library cards, as they feared making their presence known to this man. The library never shares any customer information, but how were families to know this?
So, to add to the summation of his life and work, add the fact that he terrorized childen systematically and with intent. Truly a fitting partner for Trump.
64
My heart cries crocodile tears for his loss!
9
So Sheriff Joe lost the primary on Tuesday. What's to stop the Arizona Governor from appointing Arpaio to finish out McCain's term, if for no other reason than to curry favor from Trump for his own reelection campaign?
20
@Art Kraus Hopefully, the people of Arizona.
2
Don't forget that other paragon of integrity, Mike Pence, who said it was "an honor" to have Arpaio in attendance at a rally in Arizona, and further praised him as a "Champion of the rule of law." Pence and Arpaio....two deeply disturbed men pandering to the Trumps and xenophobes of American society.
54
The terminology describing Joe Arpaio as a sadistical person is right on the money. But is he not a reflection of the people who elected and then reelected him over and over?
37
Why did Joe Arpaio run for the Senate? Because the Arizona GOP knew Kelli "Chemtrails" Ward would be an almost-certain loser in the general election. By dividing the hard-core Republican base vote, they could tilt the primary to congresswoman Martha McSally. They and Donald Trump prevailed on Arpaio to run and thus save the seat for the GOP.
It never made any sense for Arpaio to run. At 85, he was too old, and by many reports, in the early stages of dementia. But he got a very convenient pardon from Trump and was willing to go through the motions for the sake of his benefactor. McSally led in the polls throughout, so Trump didn't have to endorse her, thus maintaining credibility with his base.
Arpaio sent 24 years wreaking chaos and cruelty in Arizona. There's a reason he was one of the nation's most prominent early endorsers of Trump. Some might say he showed Trump how it's done: always aiming low and hitting the target every time.
29
@Walter Hall
You nailed it. This might be called Ascendant Contingency.
3
I’m grateful for small graces like this election result.
12
while mentioning how sadistic Arpaio was,
the writer neglected to mention that the
voters of Maricopa county re-elected him
for 24 years. they were just as sadistic as
the so called Sheriff was and they should
not get a pass.even Senator McCain, as
fine a man as he was, ran many times
without condemning Arpaio.near the end
of his life, he did condemn the pardon.
people like Sheriff Arpaio don't get elected
in a vacuum. if he was a cruel sadist,so were
the people who voted for him.
69
And to add to your comment, remember also that his abuses were carried out by willing members of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department and had the tacit approval of not only the voters but the entire law enforcement infrastructure of the area including the Phoenix police department.
2
As Trump surely and slowly breaks down (and I hesitate to use the usual word "unhinged," but My Lord that is correct), this pardon will not be the first incorrect decision he's made.
Heck, I'm so old, I go back to the '80s in despising him.
Goodbye, Joe. Hope you had fun imagining you might have a future career.
10
Will you stop calling him "Sheriff Joe"? He is not a sheriff. He is not a public official any more. He gets no title. He never did anything to deserve our respect in the past, he should not get a public title any longer. So call him "ex-sheriff" or "voter rejected", etc. Your article does a pretty good job of otherwise, make the voter's rejection complete.
39
Get ready. There are some horrifying things trump could do with the defeat of Ol’ Joe. Being horrifying himself, and willing to break not only the Constitution, but our civil and political norms, I’m sure it won’t take long before trump does yet another stupid thing that pushes us back toward the Dark Ages. How about Joe as head of the FBI? Or ICE? Or maybe as a replacement for Sessions? It doesn’t matter to trump that Joe has about the same regard/knowledge of law and justice as trump does, which is zero. trump lives alone in a world created by his febrile and demented imagination. Obviously Joe is a prince in that world. Just as obviously, trump thinks he’s the king. I fully expect madness from them both as we roll toward November.
42
Standing ovation for the voters of Arizona. Now if only Mr Arpaio will disappear forever. Fortunately Trump cannot pardon an electoral defeat.
19
@Milton Lewis
Not yet, anyway.
@Milton Lewis Not yet
As sheriff he set policy and expectations to abuse those who were innocent, solely because he didn't like them.
But he didn't make all those arrests, beat those jailed, nor ignore the medical needs of those who, in many ways like children, had their legal rights taken away and were entirely dependent upon their jailers.
Where are those hundreds of officers and jailers who were previously on the streets and at the human impound lots?
If they were not all fired, or considered for charges, then the job in Arizona is not done. Just obeying orders is not an excuse. Ethical and moral humans would have refused those orders, but instead apparently for three decades they flocked to the employment by the clown sheriff.
While we celebrate the votors' rejection of this evil man, where are the stories about what happened to those henchmen who carried out his plan?
54
@reid
"But he didn't make all those arrests..."
No, he ordered his Shock Troops to do so.
He led, he is Responsible.
3
Afer a conference being held in Arizona some colleagues and I stopped at a restaurant outside Pheonix. Upon entering there was a large overhead sign that read "We reserve the right to serve who we please". One of my colleagues was from India. We turned and left.
57
@MJ
Which always makes me wonder - why was it not OK for the proprietor of the Red Hen to respectfully tell that Huckabee woman they didn't want to serve her, but OK for the baker to decline to bake a cake for gay wedding and for the proprietor of that AZ restaurant to do same?
Logical consistency - let alone, recognizing that all (wo)men are created equal - doesn't appear to be a Republican strong-suit.
1
Does anyone doubt that Arpaio would be Trump's choice to lead his "law and order" team if Trump actually were to run and win a second term?
Hugh
15
It's clear that while the fake President has the constitutional authority to pardon anyone convicted of a federal crime, the state's attorney in each state should work hard toward a conviction of an equivalent state crime, for which no pardon can be issued. This pardoning authority has clearly gotten out of hand and this particular article should probably be amended as should others. While the constitution has survived a few centuries, it's clearly not working well in the 21st century. Time for a radical, sweeping update?
26
@Karen K interesting to note the reason it's not working is owed to so many working so hard to undermine it...not the least of which is DT.
1
This man needs to retire since he has bullied to many people in his career. Since he is a bully like his hero Trump and we will vote them into the unemployment line one at a time if that is what it takes to get them out of politics.
3
There are many parallels between Arpaio and Mccain. The personality that would never be defeated. The worldliness of both men. The tough and tumble attitude. The never say die approach of both men. Both hard as nails and the attitude of forging ahead is what makes them so much alike
2
@kathryn kobor - You seem to be equivocating equality between a very fine man (McCain) and a monster (Arpaio). Listing the ways they were vastly different people would be much more meaningful.
3
kathryn I agree that the attitude of being tough as nails makes the two men alike. Thank God the American people are growing weary of this and it shows in the elections. Now is a time of healing for our nation.
@kathryn kobor And your point? Comparing McCain (a victim of torture) and Arpaio (a known torturer) in the same breath is a real stretch as the two men couldn’t be further apart when it comes to respecting the law and treating human beings humanely.
4
Unsavory characters, Trump and Arpaio. Nonetheless, they both managed to get themselves elected to important political positions. If nothing else, that's just poor taste on the part of the voters.
13
Let us grieve that fellow Americans repeatedly elected Joe Arpaio as sheriff and that some still voted for him in this primary election.
31
For me a more important question is with his methods and well publicized criminality that he was reelected over and over by a public that was obviously approving him and his tortuous inclinations. What is the mindset of our once great nation that we vote in such monstrous ideologues that sully our democratic republic from the lowest to the highest offices.
306
@Alan..Please do not paint all of us Arizonans with the same brush. Arpaio was elected and reelected by the right wing extremists who have migrated here from other parts of the country. This is a beautiful state and it is unfortunate that these extremist shave found a home here.
2
@athenasowl Spot on. Thank you.
@Alan Mindset? They were sick and tired of crime ! Now this is nothing liberals could possibly understand. We need more like Sheriff Joe. Many more.
Arpaio lost the election, but, like Trump, he shares a passion for the limelight. He has yet to express remorse for any of his actions during his reign as Sheriff, and many of us were truly celebratory when Paul Penzone won the election to replace him. I would love to see him out of Arizona, but would hate to see him in Trump’s swamp.
8
One would have thought Prison would have been the end if this nightmare of a human being. But Trump set him free. One would have thought that Pardon would be the end. But Arizona allowed him back on the ballot. Arizona will now appoint the "Conscience" of the Republican Senate? Good luck to us all...
13
Truly well-spoken farewell to someone we'd love never to hear of again. Saluting Michelle Cottle's excellent reporting!
18
Yeah well I kind of see Trump appointing him to head ICE.
24
With a resume like his, I'm surprised Trump hasn't made him the Attorney General. In any case, I think you are celebrating the end of Arpaio's public life a little bit too soon. Conservatives, Liberals, and the media all love him, just for different reasons, and his public life won't end until the media stops paying attention to him.
28
@Peter -- Liberals love him for what reason?
3
I keep to the opinion that one is known by the company they keep.
Arpaio and Trump are BFF apparently.
As I said, one is known by the company they admire and emulate.
19
“To clarify, Mr. Arpaio the man has not passed. As of Tuesday, he was still very much alive and kicking, the proto-Trumpian embodiment of fearmongering ethnonationalism’
Arpaio spent 24 years of abusive behavior and terrorism on individuals who could not defend themselves and was finally charged. He has not passed but he is surely one of those among the living dead. When he eventually passes and we all will, his time for repentance will come; he may not like how he will be judged.
19
@A.A.F.
The only judgement that matters is the one he receives now, and far too many Americans applaud his contemptible and evil actions.
2
What does Arpaio say about a democracy that can hire and tolerate such behavior? What lessons of citizenship must we learn to protect ourselves from this thinking and behavior? When will we learn to love and live our democracy?
34
Joe Arpaio's political career in Arizona appears to be on the rocks, but we shouldn't count him out just yet. He could eventually be appointed head of Homeland Security (or who knows what else). Trump took his cue from Arpaio in stoking fear of immigrants at the national level on his road to the White House. Arpaio fits right in with Trump, another "truly sadistic man." If the likes of John Bolton and Jeff Sessions can be resurrected by this Administration, anything goes.
23
I don’t see how these tribal divisions do not end in violence. If Trump pardons clearly criminal, convicted, antisocial bad people that escape all accountability for their crimes against their fellow citizens, will not people rise up to take justice into their own hands. Whether or not these people are mentally ill or sane vigilantes having abandoned all hope that our justice system works, aren’t we headed there. I see the same possibility for the judiciary. When people see the courts as stacked arms of one political party and agenda, not apolitical judges, why not take them out. I have lived through the assignation of progressive forward thinking politicians and advocates (JFK, RFK, MJK, Malcom X, etc.), progressives can buy guns in America too.
11
Every once in a great while, something sublimely just and good happens and we can never actually know the gifts within it, what we were spared, how we were made better.
Deep-Sixing this relic of our shameful history is the tolling of a bell. We are better
today than we were yesterday. Get used to the feeling.
6
It would not surprise me a bit if we see him soon appointed as our new Attorney General. He is certainly qualified by Trump standards to replace Betsy as the Secretary of Education. And wouldn't he just be a nifty leader of the EPA? I would not count on not seeing him again. He is just disgraceful enough to thrive under the current administration.
15
“Some might consider it ungenerous to celebrate Mr. Arpaio’s electoral failure and continuing slide into irrelevance.”
Well, call me ungenerous. Joe Arpaio is 85, Roy Moore is 71. It is appalling that men of their ilk have been allowed by a certain electorate to remain on the American political scene for so many years and given the opportunity to seek high office. The fact that they have received endorsements from the Trump White House is shameful and sickening.
I now celebrate every GOP electoral failure and will continue to do so until this travesty of an administration “slides into irrelevance.” Please let it be soon!
71
Arpaio may be finished, but Trump still won. Kelli Ward attacked Martha McSally asking: "Are we going to elect a senator cut from the same cloth as Jeff Flake and John McCain?" No. In 2016 McSally said that "Trump's comments are disgusting. Joking about sexual assault is unacceptable. I'm appalled." In 2017, she criticized Trump saying, "That's just not how leaders carry themselves." However, McSally now has nothing in common with John McCain, and a lot in common with Donald Trump. The Times piece "A Trump Endorsement Can Decide a Race. Here’s How to Get One," prominently featured McSally's transformation from Trump critic to Trump lackey. McSally, fearful that she'd lose the primary, dropped support for legislation protecting Dreamers and became an advocate for Trump's border wall despite having "expressed skepticism" about it as a waste of time and money. McSally attacked Jeff Flake for criticizing Trump, banned reporters when she spoke, and insisted that legitimate news stories critical of Trump are "biased" and "fake news." McSally got what she wanted; Trump praised her as "Terrific." Now the price. As detailed by in the Times, "Trump’s outsized influence offers him a measure of political insurance. And some of his leading allies are already warning Republican officeholders who may be faced with an impeachment vote in a Democratic-controlled Congress to be fully mindful of the president’s popularity." Meaning: If Trump is impeached McSally must protect Trump, not America.
31
Trump had praise for this man but could barely say one decent word about McCain. DJT has a rating of 40% support. That's millions of people.
It is in every way baffling that so many people could be so willfully blind.
110
@Jeanie LoVetri As a citizen of your closest ally north of the 49th parallel I take umbrage at your statement "that so many people could be so willfully blind." I think you give them far more credit than they deserve. They are not blind. Let's face the facts: they are stupid and because of your country's arcane electoral college you now have a president (small p intended) who is equally stupid and most people who are citizens of other countries know this as well.
7
Who better to replace Jeff Sessions as Attorney General? A more loyal man who won't let silly little things like the law, the Constitution and truth get in the way of protecting and defending his boss is not to be found.
But, you say, surely the republicans in the senate would never approve such a nomination.
Just watch them.
33
@cfxk Neither the US Senate nor the AZ senate have any voice in the appointment of McCain’s successor. That is entirely in the hands of the AZ Governor.
A key step in changing the politics of our country is an understanding of how the system works.
2
"For nearly a quarter-century, Sheriff Joe Arpaio was a disgrace to law enforcement..." I have lived in Maricopa county, Arizona since 1981 and no, Ms. Cottle, you have it all wrong. Arpaio was and still is a disgrace to the human race. Your column cannot do justice to just how morally corrupt he is. Even a cursory examination of Arpaio, his election campaigns, self aggrandizement and braggadocio, wasted taxpayer funds, and his attacks on the media and his political opponents would suggest that Donald Trump has studied Arpaio's methods, and adapted them for application on a national scale.
I hold out no hope that Arpaio will be appropriately punished in this world. But if there is any justice in the hereafter, I believe that Arpaio will face it with his usual cowardice.
65
I have to wonder if those that continued to support this old man were of the same vintage? After all, it is the State that people go to die.
12
I was operating under the understanding that an Arpaio victory would help repudiate the atrocities he represents. We all know he's a terrible human being. However, McSally's nomination effectively guarantees Flake's seat will remain in Republican hands. Meanwhile, McCain's seat is left to the whim of Arizona's Republican governor. Democrats just lost two Senate seats and it's not even November. I don't see any reason to celebrate.
13
@Andy How did the Dems lose seats they don't currently hold (McCain, Flake) or have no chance of winning (AZ is NOT close to electing a Dem Senator)?
Democrats didn't lose anything. Two GOP senators will replace two GOP senators.
12
@Andy
Democrats lost nothing. Perhaps you can check the current party that holds both seats, sir.
1
@Txn
It's called strategy folks. Apraio wins, Democrats have a chance to take Flake's seat. McSally therefore would most like take McCain's under appointment. You'd lock-in a known moderate Republican and turn one seat blue. What's so hard to understand about all this?
"Such unwillingness to bow to an uppity judiciary surely impressed Mr. Trump, who sees his own judgment as superior to any moral or legal precept. In this way, Mr. Arpaio was arguably the perfect pick to be the very first person pardoned by this president."
That's the question before the nation: Are we a country of laws or a country of men?
8
@Chris
What happened to all of the American women? Are we once again relegated to the outside looking in? It’s as though suffrage was only a long, persistent dream.
2
If we have no rule of law we have no country. It is what separates us from places like Russia, Turkey, North Korea and many of the African and Middle Eastern countries. In those places crossing the wrong guy in power can get you beaten, jailed, exiled or killed.
The institutions, prosecutors and judges who enforce and uphold the law are the only things and people that keep us from becoming a nation of men, not laws. Think that is an exaggeration? Go back and read statements by Trump, who has called for the jailing of former presidential candidates, political leaders who don’t agree with him, prosecutors, and members of the media. Without a court system, independent judges and prosecutors, and laws that are enforced, who or what would have stopped him? He could have then easily done what Putin, Ertogan, Kim Jung Un, Duterte and countless other despots have done to their real and perceived adversaries.
This is the true danger of guys like Arpaio and Trump. We cannot get too comfortable and complacent and simply have faith that the “system” will protect us. If people like these two are elected over and over, eventually the system changes. And then the system, and our rule of law, erodes and eventually becomes little more than another tool for tyranny and depriving us of our rights.
Think this is an exaggeration? How much do people trust the legal system in Russia, the country ruled by Trump’s good buddy?
65
Arpaio got almost 90,000 votes - 20% of the Republican vote. The behavior and record this man is shameful, and to think so many people stand behind his logic, his practice and his record, for a U.S. Senate seat no less, is not as much shocking (in the age of Trump how could we be surprised?) as it is troubling. I believe we need to manage our borders and immigration policies in line with national strategic intent. To align with Arpaio thuggery is cynical and mean. Brawn vs. brains is an age-old battle, and this election says that far too many people still favor barbarism over enlightenment. It's easy to hate and destroy something or someone, it's harder to build something. We need lots more builders. America can only succeed as long as the builders win.
28
Not going to be a Senator, but trump is going to fir Sessions - guess who is now available?
Don't laugh - it is a distinct and probably possibility
4
Arpaio is the tip of the iceberg that is the far right -- bigoted, entitled, angry and cruel. He may be gone but there will be another tip, such is the state of the union these days.
44
Je might be 85, but I doubt we've seen the last of him. And even when he's gone, he will be emulated by someone younger with a nice face, maybe a female who will get lots of media coverage simply by being outrageous enough to unabashedly embrace Trump and Arpaio's causes. Their supporters will rally and the nightmare cycle will continue.
24
This article and the attached comments clearly show that the great divide in the United States is between people who believe immigration should be limited and immigration laws should be enforced versus those who believe there should be no limits on immigration and illegal immigrants should be given amnesty and allowed to bring their extended families to the United States. The same group is calling for investigations and enforcement of laws against President Trump and his associates while calling for turning a blind eye toward illegal immigration and those involved in promoting it. Do you believe in the rule of law? Do you believe that laws should be enforced without prejudice of political ideology? Arpaio was found guilty because a judge and prosecutor manipulated the charges against him so that they could deny him a jury trial. The same judge who ordered him to modify his behavior as a law enforcer, manipulated a situation where he became Arpaio's judge and jury. We should all be frightened that soon the Republicans will start using the same methods the Democrats are using. When they do, it will be the fault of the Democrats and the supporters of open borders and illegal immigration.
2
Wrong. The great divide in this country is between those that have a sense of common decency, and those who don't. It's as simple as that. Anyone with a sense of decency is, by nature, repulsed by the likes of donald trump and joe arpaio. who speak the language of hate, and have thus given people license to express and revel in their own hatefulness. Not very long ago in this country, it appeared that we had moved to a higher place in terms of civility and acceptance of the other. Little did we know that the hatefulness and bigotry were still there, festering, just below the surface. trump has lanced the boil, and now it's open season. Make America Great Again? No. Make America Hate Again.
453
@Mike
False dichotomy. There are far more than two positions, and almost all of them are more humane both for Americans and immigrants than those currently pursued by Trump. There are different categories of immigrants. Much of the scientific and technical talent that allows America to continue as the leading technological country in the world comes from immigration. The brightest students in many countries come to the US to study at our great universities, and for many years, they would apply for permanent residence, stay here, and strengthen America. Now, with decreased allocations, they are likely to go back to China, India, or Korea, making America weaker and strengthening our economic competitors. A policy of painting immigrants as criminals is making America less desirable for the most talented foreign students, and this is bad for America as we enter an era where we many hope that technology can save us from the worst effects of climate change.
215
@Mike
Interrogating someone because they appear to be Latino is not the rule of law. It is called breaking the law.
The people coming to the US via our southern border are coming to look for work and a better life. The workers are needed in on our farms and in our factories. This is why the Republican party is torn. They know the workers are needed but they also know they can make political hay by fanning the flames of hated for them. That is why they liked the previous arrangement of letting them get in illegally instead of creating immigration laws that allowed enough of them enter the US legally. The Republicans are basically playing the people of the US for fools.
19
One has to doubt the humanity of the people who are enthralled by the cruelty of Trump and his acolyte Arpaio. I suppose the beauty of Trump is that you not only get not only evil, but spectacular incompetence. I fear that this incompetence is the only hope for our country at this point. The American electorate have shown that democracy cannot survive in an era of powerful marketing tools like Fox News, the new Pravda. We have truly moved into a post-reality world.
20
With the daily onslaught of preposterous news emitting such a fetid stench across our nation, I had forgotten that Trump had pardoned Arpaio.
That was a dark and depressing day for our potentially great nation.
Thanks for the timely reminder.
It may be necessary to jot down all this criminal behavior in juxtaposition to the public hospital.
Bearing witness - sometimes it’s the best a patriot can do.
13
THAT TRUMP SAW FIT TO PARDON ARPAIO Speaks worse of Trump than of the evil, sadistic, ex-sheriff. Only a person who identifies with evil, sadism and lawlessness could see any logic in pardoning a sadist who dispensed torture rather than justice. As Arpaio, Trump is a monster who was handed the reins of power by 70+ votes in the electoral college, thereby cheating the more than 2.6 million majority of popular votes.
22
Mr. Arpaio's supporters provided America proof that anti-immigrant sentiment based on the argument that undocumented immigrants "break the law," was not about the law at all, but more about keeping brown people out and oppressing the ones that are here.
20
Here's the problem, about 40% of the country would read this from the column, and agree unironically.
"The two men are brothers in arms, fighting the good fight against the invading hordes of immigrants — and their liberal enablers, of course. And if that requires dismissing the Constitution and destroying the rule of law, so be it."
When a sizable chunk of people would approve of Trump delaying the 2020 elections, a majority no longer think a strong press is a safeguard for democracy, and a growing segment disagree that democracy is the best system for the U.S., we are approaching a tipping point. I no longer think it's far fetched that Trump would declare martial law if he thought his rule was in danger, and congress would let him do it. So, vote!
41
Great Op-Ed on Former Sheriff Arpaio, a man who behaved as though the law and court orders had no bearing on him. He was an abomination and a ruthless tyrant inflicting pain on innocent people. His conviction for criminal contempt of court was well deserved, and it is only a shame that but for Trump's pardon Arpaio would be locked in jail making the nation a safer and better place.
17
There are about 40 states that I try to avoid and Arizona is #4. I wouldn’t go there with a light tan.
54
@David R. You got that right. Tucson is not so bad. But beware Phoenix, Scottsdale, etc.
1
Not only should Arpaio will not be going to Congress and rightfully so, but he should be going directly to jail. I realize that Trump has the Constitutional power to pardon whomever he wants, but the pardon was wasted on this subhuman. Hopefully this is the last we hear from Arpaio.
25
Michelle Cottle's incisive discussion of Joe Arpaio's legacy in our society and political system incidentally raises a larger, fundamental issue growing in our law enforcement and criminal justice systems.
The characterization that the author applied to Mr. Arpaio, "sadist" was not the essential topic explored in her otherwise excellent editorial. It bares extended examination.
Mr. Arpaio's sadism is tragically unremarkable in the institutions that he was responsible for in Maricopa County. There is ample evidence that same pathology is commonplace in local law enforcement agencies and their associated jails & prisons. Even the most cursory attention paid to news reports on the actions of local law enforcement is overwhelmed by the near daily reports of unarmed citizens (usually African American) wounded or killed by gunfire by law enforcement officers. It is remarkable how often the violence seems disproportionate to the risk encountered by the officers.
It may be grossly unfair to draw conclusions based on the conditions of incarceration in Arizona. But then there are the stories from Florida, or Louisianna, or California, or ....
The accounts of "Correction Officers" who seem to have nearly free reign to substitute the word "Punishment" in place of the more benign word universally applied to their agencies. Somehow, these agencies attract and retain individuals with the same sadistic pathologies. There is no shortage of outright horror stories from these agencies.
10
If not for crime supporter, Donald J. Trump, and his pardon of Mr. Arpaio, he most likely would just be wrapping up his sentence for contempt of court and not further soiling the political process with his candidacy.
15
There is a rule of societal behavior that N.N. Taleb calls "minority rule" that proves that inordinate, outsized levels of control over the culture is possible with as small as a 3% segment of the population being intolerant of some particular thing.
It's about time that decent folks became more intolerant of the intolerant miscreants actions taken in the name of America. Decent folks ARE the majority in America, and should not shy away from this obligation. Otherwise folks like Joe and Donald will continue to drive civilization into the ground.
56
Let us pause for a moment to reflect on Trump's hagiographic description of Arpaio and contrast it to his tepid comments about fellow Arizonan John McCain on the occasion of his death. One is a law-breaker, the other a sometimes heroic law-maker. Hard to believe we're going through this as a nation.
106
@Susan
Thanks for your comments. Hard to believe, yet so believable every day we go through more horrible, ridiculous, outrageous and stupid things Trump does. I can see why Sheriff Joe liked him and that mauy be the biggest clue as to why others do. My law, not yours, my behavior counts more than yours, etc., ad nauseum.
1
His primary loss was likely due - as the editorial said - to disorganization by his supporters, plus other factors such as age. But he is the true heart of the Trump Party (and the media should stop calling it the Republican Party, which is now as much history as the Whig Party).
48
@Unconvinced If Republicans in congress refuse to challenge Trump and candidates who echo Trump's rhetoric continue to run as Republicans, then they are in fact one and the same.
26
I'm still trying to figure out a dichotomy in the Constitution. While the power of the President to pardon seems unlimited,
"shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."
But Arpaio's offense was against the Federal Courts and Art III, Sec 2 states:
"The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;—to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;—to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;—to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;—to Controversies between two or more States;—between a State and Citizens of another State;10 —between Citizens of different States, —between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects."
A contempt citation is how the Courts keep control of their courtroom. A criminal conviction is the result of a finding of guilty of a crime. But conviction of Contempt is a result of denying the Court's very authority.
Thus the dichotomy: A pardon of Contempt citation versus a conviction, or indictment, is a direct violation of the Separation of Powers, of the President usurping the power the Court to maintain its order. Arpaio's pardon should be overturned by SCOTUS.
71
@Dadof2
Good luck with that. A GOP Supreme Court overturning Trumpian overreaching?
1
"Such unwillingness to bow to an uppity judiciary surely impressed Mr. Trump, who sees his own judgment as superior to any moral or legal precept."
Kindred souls, they are. Or twins separated at birth. Whatever--both feel they're above the law, and push it to the max, "I am the law."
Each has a distorted view of power and government service. And both seek the limelight to fuel their crazy theories.
Denying Arpaio another megaphone is perhaps the best thing to come out of the primary contests. I hope he realizes his relevance is back to zero, and will crawl back to the glory days of his tent cities and barbaric prisoner methods.
Of course,we're still left with a man who's voice is 1000 times louder than his accomplishments. Donald Trump is in our ears and on our minds 24/7, and it does get tedious.
His latest cry of violence from Democrats if the GOP doesn't win the midterms is akin to yelling fire in a movie theater. It's a total lie and demagoguery at its purest.
But I think I detect something even more ominous in this latest campaign tactic.
Could't it be that this shameless president is planting the idea of violence on the right if too many Democrats get elected in November?
I put nothing past him. Like Arpaio, he shows himself capable of the sickest tactics to achieve his goals.
Let's hope that Donald Trump doesn't offer him a job, now or ever.
149
@Christine
"Could't it be that this shameless president is planting the idea of violence on the right if too many Democrats get elected in November?"
I was just discussing this with my husband last night. A not very veiled dog whistle to his base that if Dems do take back the house that violent uprising by the right is not only encouraged, but expected. We have been plunged into a nightmare we seemingly will be unable to escape.
I'm concerned with the Democratic party tracking too far to the left. I support many of the policies that progressives support but with our nation so divided and trump's super sized megaphone I think the Dems have tracked far too left in very conservative states like FL, GA, AZ. I'm not as optimistic of the November blue wave as I was prior to these latest primaries. As several posters stated on the FL gov race NYT column the republican candidates received almost 110,000 more votes combined than the democratic candidates combined. To assume that the independents will all vote democrat is naive. Clinton received double the vote over Sanders in Florida, more than double the vote in GA and 15% more than Sanders in AZ. To me this seems to indicate that these states Democratic voters are not ready to embrace someone as progressive as Sanders. As the saying goes, all politics is local. I fear that this is a huge blow to the advancement of Democrats. God help us all if trump keeps both the house and senate.We will no longer recognize the country in 2019.
4
@sharon You forgot to mention that sanders is not a Democrat. He votes once in a while with them, but he is not committed to the Democratic Party.
Congressional roles list him as as Independent and he, himself, has declared he is a socialist.
Why would Democrats embrace him over a Democrat?
1
People generally do not realize that the Slave State of Texas worked for a decade to get the Arizona territory brought into the union as a slave state.
During the Civil War, the Arizona territory was very active in trying to subvert the Union and maintain slavery in it's territory.
So the Civil War became the Culture War - and they're still trying.
92
@UTBG
there's a blue wave building in Arizona, so the generalizations stated here are not only inaccuarte, they are quite inappropriate.
the wave is being driven by demographic changes that are beyond the far radical right's ability to affect (latino's youth, retired old white folks dying off) I fact there are likely as many older folks who are scared out of their wits , rightfully at losing their medicaire and SSec...let's help them help us.
So my suggestion is to support the candidates here in Florida Georgia, Texas and elsewhere that reflect this sea change vs sterotyping from one's bubble.
far and away more productive and just what the nut jobs are afriad of most.
1
I would be thrilled by Arpaio's defeat if I did not have this nagging feeling that his entry into the race was engineered by those members of the Arizona "GOP establishment" who wished to take votes away from the obnoxious Kelli Ward in order to ease the way to victory for Martha McSally, the candidate more likely to gain the votes of non-Republicans in November. I eagerly await the revelation of Arpaio's reward -- if it's done above rather than under the table.
71
"But the man has a long and storied history of mistreating people in unfortunate circumstances, so it seems only appropriate to return the favor." This is the kind of tit-for-tat, schoolyard thinking that has become commoner, but still not acceptable, in our present culture. It needs to be called out and rejected. We are better than that. We must be.
11
I disagree. It is completely appropriate to call out people who behave so horribly towards other people, particularly people in law enforcement who repeatedly break the law in their bid to harm and humiliate others. If these people are not to be called out, then should anyone?
325
Those who systematically seek to destroy a culture of kindness and basic human decency do not also get to profit from its largesse. The desire to have all people, even monsters like Arpaio, treated equally would be better spent fighting the abuses they perpetrate, rather than admonishing those among us who choose not to reward their tyranny with toothless tolerance masked as manners.
21
@jhart I agree. I'd like to think that "we are better than that", but Joe Arpaio is actually criminal. And we are seeing a lot of criminal behavior from the lowest to the highest levels of our government. If we don't call it out, we are not doing our job as citizens. And we are not fighting for those who are being mistreated and abused.
1
Calling Arpaio our for what he is is just and correct. However, don’t forget the voters of Maricopa County who kept re-electing him to six terms as their sheriff. He did bad things, but that reflects on the residents he served.
519
@Jay Jones Education is the answer to everything.
Republicans resist education because they know that a deeply religious, superstitious, uneducated voter is their best voter.
Really sad. American was a great country after WW2 with all the highly educated eastern Europeans who fled Europe and all the GIs who got all kinds of degrees when they came back.
No longer. The more ignorant of us control the votes of the red state senators.
2
@Jay Jones-Arpaio may be the public face but there are other problems, like efforts to suppress the vote and block voters from voting. "Regardless of fault, thousands of Maricopa County voters found themselves bouncing between voting locations, casting provisional ballots or, in some cases, giving up on voting altogether."
"When voting began at 6 a.m. Tuesday, 62 Maricopa County polling places were not ready for voters. The check-in equipment that allows poll workers to verify voters' identity had not been set up, leaving some voters unable to secure ballots for hours. The Maricopa County Recorder's Office blamed its IT contractor for the issues. The Tempe-based contractor pointed the finger back on an unprepared recorder's office."
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/08/28/elect...
2
Ms Cottle, this is an absolutely deliciously written article. I hope it was as enjoyable for you to write as it was for me to read. :-)
158
Now that The Sheriff is freed up from running for office, I half expect The Donald to pick him for some other nefarious activity or position in his administration.
Maybe senior advisor on law and order, maybe ambassador to some unlucky country like Canada, or maybe a special counsel with a remit to investigate Google or the dreaded Dep State.
Whatever it is, I'm sure The Sheriff will not ride off into the sunset just yet.
123
@Mark One Trump fires Sessions, he'll pick Joe to be his next AG.
(I'm joking, but with this bunch it's often difficult to tell.)
7
Trumpy has found a replacement for J Sessions!
@Mark L
Yes, perhaps Sheriff Joe could be our next Attorney General.
1
While I am very happy Arpaio lost, it is frightening that someone with his views received about 20% of the vote.
That Kelli Ward with her cruel nonsense about John McCain's statement about ceasing treatment for his cancer treatment received about 27% of the vote is also disturbing.
Almost half the GOP vote in Arizona went to candidates with disgusting views.
I find this very scary.
964
@david
Even after Nixon resigned in disgrace he still had a 24% approval rating. Even while he was drinking himself to death in Wisconsin, Joe McCarthy still had an over 30% approval rating. There have always been Americans who will support these kinds of politicians even after they are found to have violated our laws and values.
17
@david...Welcome to the world of Arizona politics. And these two, Arpaio and Ward, are just a small sample of the far right lunatics that populate this state. What is truly frightening is that the majority of them moved here from another state where their extremist views were so far out of the mainstream that they would be political and social pariahs. They have found a home in Arizona.
17
@davidIt is curious that "deep state" is supposed to support Democrats. The real deep state, as you point out, are these Arpaio/Ward Republicans who think we are not all created equal, do not all deserve equal rights and equal treatment under the law, and certainly should not have the other human rights proclaimed by the UN.
Where are we? This radical group, known as the Republican party, is taking us quickly to fascism. Who feels good now about Hillary Clinton's loss?
2
"In a just system, we would not see his like again."
In a just system, his crimes against humanity would be tried as such; and if found guilty (a likely outcome) he would the remainder of his years in an Arizona jail.
522
One longs to see him on trial for inhumanity, trapped in a glass booth, as one after another, the people he abused come forth and give witness.
11
@Julie Zuckman’s While being forced to wear pink underwear.
3
It may be cliche, but it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.
142
All else aside, the man is 85 years old and not a revered sage at that. I'd be interested in the demographic breakdown of the votes. I can't imagine many people under 40 voting for Arpaio and the fact that he has won so many elections would suggest an disproportionally large senior population of the type that just never learns.
191
@stan continople
I don't know how old you are but I'm 70 and believe me, I don't know any of my peers who would vote for Arpaio. I'm appalled that Trump pardoned him.
8
@stan continople
People live longer these days, leading to our bankrupt health care system, moronic backward looking politics and rebirthing of deplorable, long outlived ideas.
I see it in my parents. Never Trump voters they nevertheless are driven by a brittle obsession to cling to control and power and wealth way into their 80s and 90s.
Letting go and letting others have a say is very hard for this generation, it seems. Exceptions always exist, of course.
2
@stan continople...you have that correct. At election time the Sun City set would roll out the red carpet for Arpaio thinking he was the only person standing between them and an invasion of undocumented aliens from south of the border.
2
I wouldn’t be so quick to write him off. It’s not like Trump is beyond finding him a spot in the administration that he feels worthy of his talents.
99
Please! Don’t encourage him. Half the time, I think petty, narcissistic Trump takes these dares. He is so emboldened because he just keeps getting away with every outrageous thing he does and no one cares who gets hurt. We have a constitutional crisis with this so-called president. This is not a little joke. This is horrible and tragic.
6
@Michael Trump won't do that. Not after Andrew Gillum rides the Big Blue Wave to the Senate come 2018, and the House turns Democratic.
1
@Michael
My thoughts exactly if the talented Mr. Nunes should lose his seat.
1
Since the election of Trump, I have read several articles on the NY Times website suggesting that people who oppose the views of the president and his supporters should really try harder to see things from other perspectives. To try and understand more about the situations and backgrounds of those folks in order to sympathize more with how they feel regarding the issues. But when that group supports and even looks up to someone like Arpaio, it really leaves me scratching my head in disbelief.
Am I really supposed to find a common ground here?!
934
@RS Yes, I believe there is common ground that can be found. The fundamental emotion driving everything else is fear.
Fear is scary and, as such, difficult to unearth its roots. Fear takes a lot of mental stamina and psychic fortitude to address, let alone resolve.
Fear is frequently irrational. Fear feeds on our tremendous human imaginations, our darkest nightmares.
It's easier to succumb to our fears than address them rationally and courageously. And when we do surrender to our base fears, our next instinct is to huddle together with other humans with the same fears. Safety in numbers, absolutely.
Our mission [should we decide to accept it] is to truly listen to their fears, no matter how irrational, and socratically help them unpack their demons.
32
This is all well and good. The problem is getting the other side to show the same. They're not and they won't. If the conversation is one sided, how is progress made?
31
@Mensabutt I agree that fear is a powerful emotion and requires listening and understanding to resolve. But the fear in this case has been implanted and perpetuated by people like Arpaio and Trump among others, to keep themselves in power. It is also enhanced by "news" sources that have a vested interest in keeping them in power. They are very adept at playing on peoples fear and making it more consequential than moving the country forward. Unfortunately, when you engage them as you suggest in your last paragraph, you must be prepared to deal with the ideology that created those demons.
2
I hope Arpaio starts a write-in campaign, which will peel votes away from the Republican candidate. Given his stated disregard for polls, I think there's an even chance he will.
193
Good to know that there are some Republicans who still care about the Law and Justice.
No doubt the three way race was helpful in splitting the trumpkin vote, but a level headed plurality showed up and voted.
We need more of this.
76
@Robert, Unfortunately, all three candidates embrace Trumpian ideals.
1
Trump and Arpaio...kindred spirits, soul mates, cell mates? If we never hear from Arpaio again it will be too soon. But, maybe he's up for a cabinet post....nothing surprises me anymore.
315
@Harley Leiber
You have probably put your finger on Arpaio's future occupation: The Cabinet! I have been wondering who the so-called "president" plans to replace Sessions with when he fires him right after the mid-terms.
Attorney General Arpaio. He has no law degree; but, I'm sure that would be no impediment to either 45 or Chuck Grassley--Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Arpaio will grovel at 45's feet, and do exactly what he's told. That is the only job requirement.
6
There may be an opening for a new attorney general soon
1
@Harley Leiber Possibly Attorney General after trump fires Sessions.
I know I should probably take exception to the tone of this piece. But I don't. Because it is the unvarnished truth. This man's life is not exemplary. And those who sing his praises are not even close to exemplary. At least this moment suggests we might not be totally lost. G'bye Joe and good riddance.
242
Exception to the TONE of this article?
How about the “tone” that the Good Sheriff & the great people of AZ showed towards the same prisoner’s in Joe’ beloved “concentration camps.”
This is an opinion piece about a monstrous human being that was celebrated by heinous individuals across the nation, pardoned by Trump & praised in person by the great Evangelical Christian Mike Pence.
If you think maintains a constant tone of “peace, love & understanding” towards evil is the appropriate way to fight for the soul of this nation, then you’d better be prepared & willing to lose.
3
I wish we've seen the last of politicians like Joe Arpaio, but we still live in a country that voted heavily enough for Trump and continues to vote for those who support Trump or are like-minded enough to be worrisome.
Recall that Trump, egged on by his own staff, decided it was wise to separate families at the border. He's still in power, the Republican party and its voters still support him. I mean, if we could rate fascists on a scale of 1-10, where Joe is maybe a 9, most of the Republicans party still seems to be made up of 7s and 8s.
292
@ENR
Flogging the Republican Party in an attempt to make these ill-seasoned representatives eat crow is not going to work or help our country. If Trump is a fortunate man, he will be nearing the end of his presidency with a plea of insanity.
This is when the word 'IF' is abused, and had Trump won on the Democratic ticket, we might not have been dragged to the edge of the Swamp, where we are looking in a mirror, and not through a window.
The fight is on to restore Lady Liberty to her full height and it will take each and every one of us to do better. We are turning into a nation of lawyers when we need more scientists and mathematicians, and while this may not be possible, we can go in search of bringing back 'Decency', and clear the mental attic of cobwebs and bats. Somewhere along the road, we became sloppy and complacent, or just plain desperate and frightened.
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Democrats In Maricopa County did not support Arpaio because of his consistent violation of individual rights and his outspoken and extreme opposition to the undocumented. But this editorial badly misses the point.
Arpaio was convicted of contempt for his overly zealous law enforcement practices. At the same time, Obama failed to obey the DAPA laws and his actions were deemed unconstitutional. Liberal Arizonans simply wanted the applicable law to be properly enforced. But neither the right nor the left acted lawfully. In the end, fair-minded Arizonans concluded that neither the Sheriff nor the President intended to properly enforce the law, so that the status of the many illegals here would never be determined in accordance with the law.
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@michjas, there are no "DAPA laws", nor DACA laws, and Obama's actions were not determined to be unconstitutional except in the minds of Republican opponents.
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@michjas: Arpaio refused to follow a court order. Zealous?
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From what I’ve read,
DAPA wasn’t a law. Apparently....
-it was a common sense immigration reform program put in place by Obama.
-lower court blocked it.
The Supreme Court tied 4-4, which apparently meant that the block was upheld.
Trump killed DAPA (which is ok) but has played politics games with DACA ever since
If you think there’s any equivalence to what Arpaio did & what Obama did (granting adults without criminal record temporary a reprieve from deportation. which actually makes sense for those that are working etc.) then whether you are a Democrat or not, maybe you’ve suffered some permanent brain damage from all that heat & sun.
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No one forced him on the citizens of Maricopa County. They elected him to six four-year terms. That's a good run for any politician.
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It is no small thing that Sheriff Schmo isn't going to Congress.
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This is a great article. Thank you.
I hope soon to read an article exactly like that but the name Joe Arpaio replaced by Donald Trump.
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It says something about Maricopa County that they kept this man on as sheriff despite his illegal actions. I would not want as sheriff a person who decides that laws protecting others don't apply to him. That way lies anarchy. Thus, it's doubly disturbing that Trump pardoned him. Respect for the law goes both ways. If the police don't respect the laws why should the rest of us?
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@hen3ry
During Arpaio's many years as sheriff, he was never convicted of anything. After the contempt conviction, he was decisively defeated by Paul Penzone. To
Arizonans, a bunch of political attacks is very different from a conviction in court. And we are not in the practice of electing those who have been duly convicted.
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@michjas, you are very legalistic. There is more to good judgment than that.
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@michjas, is THAT what you call pointing out a sheriff's glaring criminal misdeeds - political attacks? And is THAT what it takes to remove a politician for consideration in Maricopa county - a conviction?
You Maricopans also are apparently not in the practice of exercising the franchise in a responsible manner. Hence, Arpaio and the Clown. Reasonable, responsible people see right through both of those.
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There is an element of truth even in the claims of Joe Arpaio.
Yes, illegal immigration does depress the earnings of unskilled workers in the US and run up bills for social services.
But Democrats could suggest better ways of tackling the problem:
1. First, they should support e-verify, so that those who get jobs in the US are actually here legally. This instead of the wall.
2. There should be a decrease in the rhetoric that tends to demonize foreigners. Trump is putting pressure on the government of Mexico to improve trade outcomes. Democrats should suggest putting pressure on Latin American countries to make birth control available to their own citizens. This will decrease birth rates in Guatemala and other countries, lessening the pressure to immigrate to the US.
3. Democrats should embrace the notion that is widely held among scientists that population growth needs to stop for the long term health of the environment. Indeed, population growth is the reason for global warming. Thus families in the US should be encouraged to keep the number of children to at most two. More than two is a long term disaster that plays out in slow motion.
4. One of the consequences of slower population growth will be increased educational opportunities for children. More will be trained as doctors. This can enable the US to join Canada and Britain in offering universal health care to its citizens.
Obamacare is well-meaning but exactly why should ANYBODY be excluded?
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@Jake Wagner. Exactly. Very refreshing to read your ideas. Overpopulation is directly related to climate change.
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@Jake Wagner Mr. Wagner what is extraordinary in your litany, aside from the focus on birth control, is not one single mention of the gang violence that has been decimating Latin American communities, and forcing people to make desperate decisions. If want to put all the onus on Democrats for ideas, then tell your Republican friends to consider helping these countries quell the violence, through interventions in the drug trade not the least would be better controls domestically. That sort of partnership worked in some ways in Colombia and there is no reason to believe it couldn't also work in Mexico and Costa Rica.
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@Jake Wagner
The world may be overpopulated, but the United States is most certainly not. If we let demographics stall our economic growth, there will be far less capacity and public support for research of and switching to cleaner energy, transportation and food.
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Although I am in full agreement with this article, i disagree with the tone of this opinion piece as with so many others that I read in the Times or in WaPo. Sheriff Joe is nothing new on the American political scene.
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@JB
Sheriff joe is not your typical politician.... he’s the new trumpian political nightmare
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"In a just system, we would not see his like again. In the current political climate, it may be enough that Arizona Republicans solidly rejected him." Unfortunately, with a man like Trump in the White House, it will take more than just the common sense of some Republicans in one red state to make a difference. If the goal is to not see the "likes of him" again, Americans have to start at the top and not see the likes of Trump again.
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@Kevin - We're working on it. If any good can come from our current state of affairs, it's that it has served as a badly needed wake-up call.
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@Kevin, good luck with that idea. President Trump, and many more like him are standing in line to take his place. Hillary Clinton, although she lost the election, has the thanks of a grateful nation, "for awakening the American Voter.
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@Kevin: I agree with your sentiments. but you seem to accept a wide-spread error: the POTUS is not "the top." We have three coequal branches of government. The POTUS used to be the "most powerful man in the world," until the Putin-Trump partnership came along. But, domestically, the Speaker of the House is more powerful because the House controls budgetary matters. The fact that Ryan caved to Trump is to the eternal disgrace of the former, and represents a gross injury to the Constitution.
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