President Donald Trump asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions earlier this year whether the government could drop its criminal case against former Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio, the Washington Post reported Saturday evening.
The Washington Post reported, citing three unnamed sources with knowledge of the conversation, that Sessions told Trump it would be inappropriate for him to do so.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told the Washington Post it was “only natural” for Trump to “have a discussion with administration lawyers about legal matters.”
Trump on Friday night pardoned Arpaio of a conviction of criminal contempt of court.
According to the Washington Post, he did so without consulting the Justice Department, though Sanders on Thursday said she “would imagine they go through the thorough and standard process” if Trump decided in favor of the pardon.
