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Follow the leaders; boycott Arpaio dinner

Fresno City Council member Garry Bredefeld, left, and Mayor Lee Brand both are refusing to honor Sheriff Joe Arpaio. That’s good leadership, writes Howard K. Watkins, and others should stay away as well.
Fresno City Council member Garry Bredefeld, left, and Mayor Lee Brand both are refusing to honor Sheriff Joe Arpaio. That’s good leadership, writes Howard K. Watkins, and others should stay away as well. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

The local Republican Party leadership's decision to honor former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio at a fundraising dinner later this month shows their true colors. They apparently do not care what you do, so long as you are tough on people with brown skin.

During his tenure as sheriff,. Arpaio's malfeasance in office and failure to comply with the Constitution have cost the taxpayers of Maricopa County more than $250 million, and the bill continues to rise. For those who say Arpaio did nothing wrong, accepting a pardon means you are guilty; otherwise, there is nothing to pardon.

I applaud Mayor Lee Brand and other Republican officials and party members who decline to attend this shameful spectacle of a dinner. Others should follow the mayor's lead to help unite our city, not divide it –boycott the dinner.

Howard K. Watkins, Fresno

This story was originally published September 11, 2017 at 10:12 AM with the headline "Follow the leaders; boycott Arpaio dinner."

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