President Donald Trump's pardon of former Maricopa County sheriff was not legitimate, according to guests on the left and the right on this weekend's "Sunday Square Off."
Trump's failure to follow pardon guidelines, as well as a report that he asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions about dropping the Arpaio prosecution, raise serious questions about the pardon, according to Daniel Ortega, attorney and former national board chairman of National Council of La Raza, and Jon Gabriel, editor in chief of the conservative blogger site Ricochet.com.
Arpaio was found guilty last month of intentionally ignoring a court order to stop enforcing federal immigration law. A judge had found evidence Arpaio was racially profiling Latinos.
The pardon means Arpaio won't be punished. The 85-year-old sheriff was facing up to 6 months in jail. But the conviction still stands.
Also on "Square Off," a former police chief and law enforcement expert says the Phoenix Police Department should get an independent review of its performance during the Trump rally protests.
Michael Scott, director of Arizona State University's Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, also says it might be time for a law to ban the wearing of face masks at protests. Republican state legislator Jay Lawrence has called for such a ban.
Peaceful protests outside Trump's Phoenix rally last week ended in clashes with police. Police had to use tear gas to quell the protest.
"Sunday Square Off" airs at 8 a.m. Sundays on 12 News, right after "Meet the Press.
'Sunday Square Off' conservative panelist Jon Gabriel explains why he thinks fellow conservatives are wrong when they say President Trump was following the rule of law with his pardon of Joe Arpaio.
Will Gov. Doug Ducey's comments about 'my friend' Joe Arpaio boost Latino turnout during next year's statewide elections? And why Joe Arpaio's boosting that turnout every time he gets behind a microphone.
An ASU law-enforcement expert says the Phoenix Police Department should allow for an outside review of its handling of the Trump rally protests.
Police strategies for handling protests have evolved over the last few decades, but there's no one way to deal with them, according to an ASU law-enforcement expert.
