Arpaio said that his conviction for contempt of court was the result of a witch hunt by Obama administration Justice Department holdovers. The actual roots of the complaints that led to Arpaio’s conviction lie outside the Justice Department.

A 2007 private lawsuit turned into a class action lawsuit that led a George W. Bush-era federal judge to issue an injunction against Arpaio and his department. Over several years, Arpaio publicly declared that he would not change his ways. The original judge referred Arpaio’s case for criminal prosecution and a Clinton-era judge found him guilty.

The record, the law and legal opinion show the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona had control of the process, not Justice Department staff linked to the Obama administration.

We rate this claim False.

via Arpaio falsely ties conviction to Obama administration | PolitiFact