Kasich: ‘Out of bounds’ to use pardon as ‘a political wedge’

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) on Sunday said it would be “out of bounds” for President Trump to pardon an individual for a political purpose.

“It is absolutely should be out of bounds for somebody to use that as some sort of a political wedge. It appears as though that is what it was,” Kasich told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” 

{mosads}Kasich said he disagreed with how Trump pardoned former Maricopa County, Ariz. Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a move that has been met with criticism on both sides of the aisle.

“It’s not the way I operate here with the power to be able to give people second chance, but the president has that power,” Kasich, who unsuccessfully challenged Trump for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, said.

Trump on Friday pardoned Arpaio, who was convicted last month of criminal contempt for disobeying a court order to halt his office’s racial-profiling policies.