'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' is back! After being absent for three weeks, John Oliver returned and he didn't hold back. He exposed Arizona's sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was pardoned by President Trump on Friday. He pointed out Arpaio's wrongdoings over the years showing American people what kind of a man their President just pardoned. This is just one of many controversial decisions Trump has made in the last couple of months and it seems he is not slowing down.
Who is Joe Arpaio?
Joe Arpaio is a former Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona. He was a sheriff for 24 years, until 2016 when he failed to be re-elected losing the election to Paul Penzone. Arpaio is considered to be "America's Toughest Sherif'. He has been accused of police wrongdoing on many occasions. He was accused of failing to investigate sex crimes, he was accused of illegal application of immigration laws etc. His office was supervised by a Federal court monitor because of complaints about racial discrimination. Arpaio oversaw the worst case of racial profiling in the U.S. history and had a suit filed against him for discriminatory police behavior.
In the past, he bragged about making prisoners eat baloney sandwiches ''so rotten the meat has turned green,'' he made prisoners wear pink underwear and striped prison shirts. When a reporter asked the prisoners if Arpaio had a nickname, several of them said his nickname was 'Hitler'. Arpaio enjoys media's attention. He even had a reality TV show named 'Smile... You're Under Arrest!' in which he arrested people on camera. His County paid several fines because of his illegal actions and he is known for discrimination and racism towards African Americans and Latin Americans.
Why would Trump pardon Arpaio?
Taking into a consideration all the things Arpaio has done, it is unclear why President Trump would pardon him.
Many speculated that this pardon was about rewarding a longtime ally and supporter. Arpaio was the first politician to support Donald Trump in his campaign. Another theory is that Trump sees himself in Arpaio and what he is trying to accomplish. Trump's approval rating is around 35%. With this move, he may be trying to shore up his support. The American public remains in shock over President Trump's decision to pardon a proven racist. John Oliver is back doing what he does best, calling out Trump for his decisions and providing American people with a much-needed laugh.