The attorney for former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Friday praised President Donald Trump's pardoning of his client, saying that "we're just very proud to see the president has done the right things."
"We're very excited," the lawyer, Jack Wilenchik, told John Berman on CNN. "This is the culmination of a lot of hard work and something that's been very tough for the sheriff to deal with."
Wilenchik said that White House Counsel Don McGahn talked with Arpaio, 85, last week and that McGahn told him Friday that Trump had signed the pardon at 6 p.m. Eastern time.
"Today, I was contacted by White House counsel, and he indicated the president had already signed it at approximately 3 p.m.," Wilenchik said.
"So, around 6 o'clock Eastern. And I've got a copy of it right here."
Wilenchik, whose firm is based in Phoenix, told Berman that Arpaio still believes that he was innocent.
"To this day, we contend and he actually was innocent," he said. "If not for this, what we're going to do is ask the court to dismiss the case, ask for an acquittal.
"Had this not happened, we would have spent years fighting for his innocence."
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