Former Ariz. sheriff Arpaio raising funds for Tancredo's Colorado gubernatorial bid

The Colorado Democratic Party quickly seized on freelance reporter Sandra Fish's tweet Thursday afternoon saying Tom Tancredo has a notable but not surprising new fundraiser, former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Arpaio shares the Colorado gubernatorial candidate's passion for strident immigration reform, which landed him with a criminal contempt of court conviction for his unyielding enforcement that was deemed to be profiling Latinos. President Trump pardoned Arpaio in August.

The 85-year-old Maricopa County sheriff of 24 years is viewed as a hero or villain in the nation's polarized debate on illegal immigration.

"Once again, the Republicans running for Governor are racing to the right to prove they're the most extreme right-wing candidate in the field," Eric Walker, the spokesman for the Colorado Democratic Party, said in a statement. "Anyone who associates with convicted criminal Joe Arpaio - much less uses him to raise money - is unfit to be the governor of our state. Period."

Read more: http://gazette.com/former-ariz.-sheriff-arpaio-raising-funds-for-tancredos-colorado-gubernatorial-bid/article/1617233