In what has been widely criticized by legal scholars as a major affront to the [[Rule of Law]], Trump granted a pardon to his political ally and supporter [[Sheriff]] [[Joe Arpaio]] for his conviction for [[Contempt of Court]], prior to Arpaio's sentencing.<ref>https://www.justice.gov/pardon/file/993586/download</ref><ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/25/us/politics/joe-arpaio-trump-pardon-sheriff-arizona.html</ref><ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-arpaio/trump-pardons-ex-arizona-sheriff-joe-arpaio-idUSKCN1B600O</ref><ref>http://beta.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-arpaio-pardon-2017-story.html</ref><ref>http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/348061-trump-pardons-arpaio</ref>

<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/25/politics/sheriff-joe-arpaio-donald-trump-pardon/index.html</ref> As of November 2017, Arpaio is the sole pardon issued by the Trump administration. <ref>https://www.justice.gov/pardon/pardons-granted-president-donald-trump</ref><ref>https://www.justice.gov/pardon/file/993586/download</ref>

A federal Judge has refused to overturn Arpaio's conviction, despite the pardon, which many analysts believe to be illegal or unconstitutional, and which presently faces legal challenge.<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/10/20/federal-judge-refuses-to-erase-joe-arpaios-conviction-despite-trump-pardon/</ref><ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-presidential-pardon-power-is-not-absolute/2017/09/18/09d3497c-9ca5-11e7-9083-fbfddf6804c2_story.html?utm_term=.7e1d47308c72</ref><ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-presidential-pardon-power-is-not-absolute/2017/09/18/09d3497c-9ca5-11e7-9083-fbfddf6804c2_story.html?utm_term=.7e1d47308c72</ref><ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2017/08/30/legal-challenge-to-arpaio-pardon-begins/?utm_term=.5c01e33c3e35</ref><ref>https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/10/04/trump-arpaio-break-pardon-215676</ref><ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/04/joe-arpaio-pardon-accepted/733690001/</ref><ref>https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/judge-lets-president-trumps-pardon-former-sheriff-arpaio-stand</ref><ref>http://www.businessinsider.com/federal-judge-sheriff-joe-arpaio-conviction-trump-pardon-2017-10</ref><ref>http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/09/was_trump_s_pardon_of_joe_arpaio_unconstitutional.html</ref>

<ref>https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/20/558978896/federal-judge-will-not-void-guilty-ruling-on-arpaio-despite-trumps-pardon</ref><ref>https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/why-the-arpaio-pardon-matters/538131/</ref><ref>https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-arpaio-pardon-has-plenty-of-precedents-that-got-other-presidents-in-trouble/</ref>

<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/04/opinions/arpaio-case-is-not-over-yet-reyes/index.html</ref><ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/article/450934/trumps-arpaio-pardon-unmerited-unnecessary-impulsive</ref><ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/sep/13/joe-arpaios-pardon-called-unconstitutional/</ref><ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-arpaio/federal-judge-refuses-to-overturn-trump-pardon-of-arpaio-idUSKBN1C92UA</ref>

<ref>http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-joe-arpaio-pardon-dangerous-0907-story.html</ref><ref>http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-controversial-arpaio-pardon-faces-new-legal-scrutiny</ref><ref>https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/joe-arpaio-criminal-conviction-not-erased_us_59e9d4b3e4b0df10767c4e07</ref><ref>http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/28/politics/donald-trump-joe-arpaio-pardon/index.html</ref>

<ref>https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2017/09/21/joe-arpaio-trump-pardon-ruling-nullifying-242981</ref>

There is widespread belief that Trump will attempt to use his pardon power to grant clemency to his campaign manager [[Paul Manafort]], who was indicted by special counsel [[Robert Mueller]] for engaging in a conspiracy against the United States, or even himself, should he be charged by the [[special counsel]] during the course of the investigation for participation in the [[conspiracy]], and Mueller's office is reportedly looking into whether Trump would be lawfully able to pardon himself or his [[henchmen]] for their crimes.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/31/opinion/trump-pardon-manafort.html</ref> <ref>http://www.newsweek.com/trump-pardon-manafort-gates-mueller-indictment-696362</ref><ref>https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/robert-mueller-donald-trump-pardon-power</ref><ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/25/us/politics/joe-arpaio-trump-pardon-sheriff-arizona.html</ref><ref>https://www.vox.com/2017/8/29/16211784/trump-pardon-mueller-constitution-russia</ref><ref>https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/trump-west-wing-races-to-contain-mueller-fallout</ref><ref>http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/11/robert_mueller_s_brilliant_strategy_for_outmaneuvering_trump_pardons.html</ref><ref>http://beta.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-litman-greenberg-manafort-mueller-indictment-20171030-story.html</ref>

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== References ==

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