One of President Donald Trump’s early supporters and all-around asshole, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, was convicted of contempt last week. Some of his victims are celebrating his conviction:
Salvador Reza, a community organizer and civil rights activist who has battled Arpaio over the years, said:
“I know people are going to say that he’s elderly and he spent his life in law enforcement, but this is what happens when you disobey a federal judge. They should make him wear pink underwear and eat the foods that he served to prisoners.”
As America’s Voice reports:
“Maricopa County suffered under Arpaio, shelling out hundreds of millions of dollars to defend him against countless lawsuits over the years. Arpaio, meanwhile, in his dogged determination to hunt down people of color, left 40,000 felony warrants un-served and 400 sex crimes un-investigated.”
Viridiana Hernandez, executive director of the Center for Neighborhood Leadership, said:
“I feel relief and excitement because this is a community victory, but I’m also reflecting on all the pain and trauma that this person caused so many immigrant families like mine. When my dad’s work was raided, we went into hiding, we abandoned our home, he was unemployed for years. Today, my family, like thousands of other families, will get some peace, they will get some justice.”
Susan Schuerman, who received a $500,000 settlement from Maricopa County following Arpaio’s attack on her and the county supervisor she worked for, said:
“No amount of money can repay for what he did to me. He ruined my career, he ruined my health, and he certainly took two and a half years out of my life that I’d like back. I’m glad he got something, but I don’t think it was anywhere near harsh enough. I feel sorry for the county taxpayers.”
Featured image via Twitter.