Dems slam Trump for pardoning Arpaio during hurricane

BY TAYLOR LORENZ - 08/25/17 10:11 PM EDT

Democrats lashed out at President Trump on Friday evening over his decision to pardon Joe Arpaio, the controversial former sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., as a huge storm barreled toward Texas.

Trump faced intense criticism for issuing the pardon hours before Hurricane Harvey was set to hit the Gulf Coast, potentially causing devastating damage as it brought massive wind and rain.

"Donald Trump just gave a free pass to his buddy Joe Arpaio, the nation’s most notorious agent of racism and bigotry, during a natural disaster that could hurt millions. That's not presidential, that's a coward,” Tom Perez, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement.

“Sheriff Arpaio used racial profiling to tear apart immigrant families and devastate Latino communities. At the same time, he failed to investigate hundreds of crimes, including dozens of reported child molestations," he added.

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http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/348070-dems-slams-trump-for-pardoning-arpaio-during-hurricane-harvey