S4 E23: Joe Arpaio, DACA & Scranton Train: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

26 Aug 2024 (3 months ago)
S4 E23: Joe Arpaio, DACA & Scranton Train: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Donald Trump's Actions and Statements

  • Donald Trump, during an Oval Office meeting with Congressional leaders to discuss raising the debt ceiling and funding the government, sided with Democrats. The Democrats proposed a three-month extension to give them leverage, while Republicans wanted a long-term solution. (1m40s)
  • Donald Trump ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA, implemented by President Obama, protected approximately 800,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children from deportation. (4m15s)
  • Donald Trump seemed to walk back his decision on DACA, suggesting a potential six-month delay for Congress to take action. (6m30s)
  • Trump reassured business leaders about his trade policy changes, stating they would be "so happy" with the outcome. (7m29s)
  • Trump pardoned Joe Arpaio, the controversial former sheriff of Arizona known for his hardline stance against illegal immigration. (11m29s)
  • Ivanka Trump, during a North Dakota event, was introduced by her father, Donald Trump. (2m50s)

The Controversial Career of Joe Arpaio

  • Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, has been called "America's toughest sheriff" for his severe treatment of inmates, which included feeding them spoiled food, making them wear pink underwear, and forcing them to work on chain gangs. (12m9s)
  • Arpaio enjoyed media attention and even had a short-lived reality show called "Smile You're Under Arrest" in which people were tricked into being arrested on camera. (12m53s)
  • Arpaio's jails, which housed people awaiting trial or serving short sentences, were known for their harsh conditions, including extreme temperatures, limited food, and the installation of webcams, one of which showed female inmates using the toilet and was linked to by pornographic websites. (15m18s)
  • Over $8 million was paid to the family of Scott Norberg, who died in custody after being restrained, shocked, and beaten by guards. (18m21s)
  • Two guards, who reportedly said "who gives a" when another officer warned them that Norberg was in medical distress, were later promoted. (19m28s)
  • Arpaio's department failed to properly investigate over 400 sex crimes, some involving children. (20m33s)
  • The Trump administration's pardon of Joe Arpaio suggests that law enforcement will not be held accountable for violating the Constitution or court orders. (24m29s)

Scranton's Beloved Toy Train

  • Residents of Scranton, Pennsylvania are passionate about the toy train featured in the local news weather forecast. (26m14s)
  • A large model train set featuring Scranton landmarks was built as a gift for the city. (28m54s)

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