Rep. Reichert is lone Republican to criticize Arpaio pardon, other state GOPers silent The sheriff was a prominent supporter of Trump's 2016 campaign, and a fellow "birther" who questioned whether Obama was born in the US



less Washington Rep. Dave Reichert: He's the state's first Republican House member to criticize President Trump's pardon of former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, convinced of ignoring a court's order to stop racial profiling. Washington Rep. Dave Reichert: He's the state's first Republican House member to criticize President Trump's pardon of former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, convinced of ignoring a court's order to stop racial ... more Photo: LEVI PULKKINEN/SEATTLEPI.COM Photo: LEVI PULKKINEN/SEATTLEPI.COM Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Rep. Reichert is lone Republican to criticize Arpaio pardon, other state GOPers silent 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., alone among the state's Republican House members, has quietly disagreed with President Trump's pardon of Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who faced jail time for ignoring a court's order to stop racial profiling of Latinos.

Arpaio was a prominent supporter of Trump's 2016 campaign, and a fellow "birther" who questioned whether President Obama was born in the United States.

RELATED: The year I spent in Joe Arpaio's tent jail was hell. He should never walk free.

Reichert voiced his disagreement on his Facebook page. The former King County Sheriff stated:

"As a former member of law enforcement, and now as a Member of Congress, I have spent my career committed to upholding the rule of law. No individual is above the law and I do not agree with the President's decision to pardon Sheriff Joe Arpaio for disobeying the very laws his job requires him to enforce."

A bevvy of top Republicans, including Arizona's GOP Sen. John McCain and Jeff Flake, have criticized the Arpaio pardon.

Through an aide, House Speaker Paul Ryan said: "The Speaker does not agree with this decision. Law enforcement officers have a special responsibility to respect the rights of everyone in the United States. We should not allow anyone to believe that responsibility is diminished by this pardon."

U.S. Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Jaime Herrera Beutler and Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., have stayed silent, although all three have substantial Hispanic populations in their districts.

RELATED: Trump defends decision to pardon Arizona's Arpaio

McMorris Rodgers, a member of the House Republican leadership, picked Monday to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., marking the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington.

"Today, in 1963, MLK Jr. delivered his 'I Have A Dream' speech," McMorris Rodgers tweeted. "In our continued fight against racial division, his words still ring true."

But nothing on Trump and Arpaio.

The Charlottesville response and Arpaio pardon have met with disapproval, not just among liberals but with business and military leaders, and even within Trump's cabinet.

The Republican House members' silence may be golden -- politically. The party's "base" is still with Trump. The bind on Reichert is tighter. He represents the 8th District, which narrowly backed Hillary Clinton but holds two Central Washington counties that are Trump country.

RELATED: Critics: Trump pardon his latest affront against judiciary

One Democratic House member, 11-term Democratic Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., has spoken out strongly against the pardoning of Arpaio.

"President Trump's pardon of Sheriff Arpaio is an affont to the rule of law and a deeply disturbing use of Presidential power to sanction discrimination," said Smith.

"As Sheiff of Maricopa County, Arpaio flagrantly ignored clear federal immigration enforcement guidelines and aggressively pursued policies of racial profiling. His continued violation of civil rights led to a conviction in a court of law for his unlawful immigration practices. Trump's pardon is an endorsement of the bigoted and racist actions that led to Sheriff Arpaio's conviction."