Arizona marijuana industry insiders are praising President Biden’s recent pardoning of thousands of people convicted of federal, simple possession of marijuana charges, but they say more work needs to be done at the state level to quickly erase black marks from many cannabis users’ records. 

President Trump issued pardons or commutations to 143 people on his last full day in office January 19, including a former Arizona congressman who served two years in prison after a 2013 conviction related to a land swap deal.

Nearing the end of his first term, Ducey has granted only one pardon, to a man who stole a motorcycle in 1972. Other pardon recommendations sit dormant, leaving people awaiting a signature that could change their lives in fundamental ways.

While Arpaio had hinted at a run for months, many political insiders doubted his interest in actually running for the seat currently held by Sen. Jeff Flake, who announced last year that he wouldn’t run again.

Saying the president can't erase facts, a federal judge on Thursday rejected a bid by former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to have all record of his criminal conviction wiped out.

A federal judge has upheld the validity of former Sheriff Joe Arpaio's presidential pardon despite claims from critics that letting his clemency stand would encourage officials to disobey future court orders.

A court hearing Wednesday in Phoenix over former Sheriff Joe Arpaio's pardon isn't expected to lead a judge to undo his clemency, even though some critics want it declared invalid and for the retired lawman to be sentenced.

The U.S. Justice Department said in a filing Monday that it agreed with Arpaio's attorneys who argued the lawman's conviction and the 14-page ruling should be voided.

A federal judge will hear arguments in October over whether she should set aside the criminal contempt of court conviction of Joe Arpaio.

President Donald Trump on Monday defended his decision to pardon Joe Arpaio, calling the former Arizona sheriff a "patriot" who loves his country.