Joe Arpaio, Arizona Sheriff, Accused Of Racism, Defends 'Birther' Posse

Local news station KNXV-TV of Phoenix interviewed Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio Monday about his efforts to investigate President Barack Obama's birth certificate and his views on Latinos.

"First of all, about 300 people signed petitions," Arpaio said of the investigation into Obama's birth certificate. "I am the chief law enforcement officer, they asked me to look at that situation. I don't dump everything in the wastebasket. So I have my 'Cold Case Posse' which I've had for five years. It's free; it doesn't cost a penny to the taxpayers. Made up of ex-cops and some lawyers, so let them look at it."

President Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961, but so-called "birthers" have long argued that Obama is not in fact a U.S. citizen and have challenged the president to produce his long-form birth certificate as evidence. After ignoring the controversy for months, the White House released the president's long-form birth certificate in April, but even that has not silenced his critics.

The next question to Arpaio was why he does not punish employers for hiring undocumented immigrants but sends undocumented immigrants to jail. He replied that the law against employers is a civil law, not a criminal one, and therefore falls outside his purview, and that he "locked up" those with "false identification."

Arpaio is infamous for his publicity stunts as sheriff, including making inmates wear pink underwear, conducting immigration sweeps in Latino neighborhoods, and moving inmates between jails in chains. The majority of inmates picked up in his sweeps are undocumented immigrants.

The next question came in from a Facebook user: "Why are you a racist against Latinos?"

Arpaio chuckled. "Well I'm not going to get into my personal life, and grandkids, and daughter-in-laws. I don't have to defend myself against that vicious attack. So, he can have his opinion -- I know what I am."

Comments

[Carl E Cook]

05:07 PM on 11/02/2011

it's time americans start re-thinking the word "racism"..............
i am for ME, FIRST OF ALL.............
i am also for my parents..........my siblings. cousins. uncles and aunts.......friends.......my neighborhood, town, state and country..........i am for my species.........i am allowed to hold in high regard anyone else i choose.......i am allowed to BE FOR whoever i want, and that doesn't necessarily mean i want someone else to fail..........why should the efforts of someone who has the best interests of his country and it's people be accused of racism? i am tired of hearing it...........

[kjrd7]

04:09 PM on 11/01/2011

Sherriff Jow IS NOT A RACIST. He is simply trying his best to enforce the law. He is my HERO.

[xhawk2]

11:03 AM on 10/14/2011

The real racists: La Raza, MECHA, LULAC, Voz de Aztlan, Mexica Movement, Reconquista supporters.

[herenow12]

12:12 PM on 10/06/2011

Joe Arpaio, Arizona Sheriff, Accused Of Racism,...

This has been common knowledge for a long time.

[xhawk2]

11:03 AM on 10/14/2011

Confirmed racists: The brown supremacist groups like La Raza.

[unclelew]

09:56 PM on 10/27/2011

Go launder your sheets, hawk.

[Netta Chinn]

10:00 AM on 09/30/2011

What does he mean when he says, "Im not going to get into my personal life grand kids and daughter in laws" this has nothing to do with the question

Does he have Mexicans in his family? is he another Lou Dobbs as well or does he not know how to respond to a simple question when asked?

[Richard Maslen Hogenson]

03:33 PM on 09/28/2011

I was the one that asked the Sheriff the question. And he didn't answer it.

[prodemlib]

02:11 PM on 09/28/2011

birthers: Lowering the standards of critical thinking in America

[den1953]

12:31 PM on 09/28/2011

Yep it's official in his private life he is a full fledged racist!

[xhawk2]

11:04 AM on 10/14/2011

The real full-fledged racists: Brown supremacist groups like La Raza.

[anrejon]

12:29 PM on 09/28/2011

Virgil Griffin with a badge and a gun

[Hillbilly49]

12:10 PM on 09/28/2011

At least Joe never met a camera he didn't like.

[silverball]

12:05 PM on 09/28/2011

..."i know what i am"....yeah, joe....so do we.....

[xardvar]

11:24 AM on 09/28/2011

Just tell me what right an Arizona Sheriff has to spend taxpayer money investigating a hawaiin passport, does Arizona have so freaking much money floating around they can afford to do imbecilic things like this.

[imagine2011]

01:24 AM on 10/28/2011

The Sheriff said it was voluntary investigative work being done by retired policemen and lawyers doing the birth certificate investigation work and theyre not using precious tax payer money, like our president does to campaign and vacation more than any other prez ever. Plus, if you look at the birth certificate, the ink pens used for signatures were not even invented back in 1961!!! There were barely ballpoint pens, not felt medium and fine point like today. Now do you understand why many believe it to be a fake? Ive seen two videos of obama saying twice that he is of the muslim faith and his home and family is of muslims. Dont believe me? Check youtube, they're in there.

[Billy Jack]

10:56 AM on 09/28/2011

Looks like Sheriff "Bufford T. Justice" is at it again.

[arecibo48]

10:56 AM on 09/28/2011

Yes, he is.

[Justdontgetit]

10:43 AM on 09/28/2011

Great use of taxpayer money, there hon.