Joe Arpaio, Arizona Sheriff: GOP Presidential Candidates 'Hiding' Obama Birther Issue

Joe Arpaio, sheriff of Arizona's Maricopa County, believes GOP presidential candidates and politicians are "hiding" the issues of Obama's eligibility and the authenticity of his birth certificate released by the White House last year.

"I've had presidential candidates visit me in my office. I've talked to every one of them," Arpaio, who had endorsed Rick Perry in the GOP primary, told radio host Aaron Klein Monday on New York’s WABC station. "I don't see anybody talking about this. I don’t see any senators talking about it."

"This is a potential crime," he continued. "How come everybody's hiding this?"

LISTEN via Aaron Klein Investigative Radio:

Arpaio has been at the forefront of the birther movement, working with his "cold case posse" to lead an investigation into Obama's documents. At a press conference last month, Arpaio claimed that there was reason to believe that Obama's birth certificate had been altered. He's since expanded his probe in an effort to get ahold of the president's Selective Service card.

It's not just national politicians that are being suspiciously silent on the issue, Arpaio told Klein on Monday. He noted that Arizona Republicans -- once supportive enough of the birther movement to pass a bill requiring presidential candidate to prove their U.S. citizenship -- were no longer reaching out to him. Arpaio has since spearheaded an effort to revive the failed legislation, claiming that he's working against a media conspiracy "bigger than Watergate."

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[webdanzin]

10:29 AM on 05/18/2012

I've known that Obama was born in Kenya because back when no one knew who this candidate was a major news channel from USA was sent to Kenya and I watched the report. The reporter was standing in front of a small, squat building with Obamas paternal grandmother who said on camera " yes he was born right here" pointing to the building. Then she said" I was there". This was also in print with her picture as it was pulled from the tape. I read it myself. I know that these two things existed and I know that I cannot be the only person who saw them. They have disappeared or been somehow squashed. But I know as well as I know my own name that these two things are somewhere still. Whoever digs them up will definitely go down in history.

[wendoxia]

11:36 AM on 05/18/2012

no. you heard a woman who had never even met her grandson.. who barely spoke english, and who was telling people what they wanted to hear. ITS NOT TRUE.Why would you believe her, and not his maternal grandparents who were american citizens, or his mother, or the FBI, or the CIA, or the two hawaii newspapers, or the hawaii govt? because you want to. because you hate him.

The president was born in Hawaii. Hate him all you want, but he was born in Hawaii.

[Patt Rugar]

01:05 AM on 05/18/2012

they want you to hate joe ..He stops cheap labor from taking your job They want 1%ers to make more.

[Patt Rugar]

12:50 AM on 05/18/2012

If Obama would just produce a real B.C. .. then this would all be over . Many people looked at the one he produced .. it is not the original .. Is Obama playing games ?

[wendoxia]

11:37 AM on 05/18/2012

IT IS A REAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE for christ sakes, It Looks just like EVERY ONE FROM THE STATE OF HAWAII.

[franksnmail]

05:18 PM on 05/18/2012

NO - it DOESN'T!
Not for the year he was born!

[delmark]

09:58 PM on 04/19/2012

Joe's wearing pink undies.

[mad world]

02:06 PM on 04/16/2012

#sh!toldbigotssay

[BillinFla]

11:06 AM on 04/11/2012

We're all hiding it from you, Joe - every single person in the U.S. is in on this! Major prank, huh?

[TwinX]

09:34 AM on 04/11/2012

Ooooooh. Look what's happened to Arpaio's ex-Right Hand Man - 'Disbarred Over Ethics Violations':

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/andrew_thomas_ethics_arpaio.php

And here's an interesting snippet:

'Thomas and Arpaio filed a major lawsuit against the group, accusing them of corruption and racketeering. Thomas also charged three of them with crimes, warning charges may be coming for the rest. “No one is above the law,” he said at the time.

Soon, however, the cases began to crumble. In some instances, the evidence that was promised by Thomas and Arpaio never materialized.'

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/andrew_thomas_arpaio_disbarment.php

Sound familar?

[Carla van der Meer]

01:57 AM on 04/11/2012

Can you say OBSESSED? Hey, Joe.. go solve a crime. You are making an even bigger fool of youself.

[P-Woman]

08:50 PM on 04/10/2012

This man is displaying symptoms of age-related dementia.

[Coffee4Me]

04:17 PM on 04/10/2012

Dementia (taken from Latin, originally meaning "madness", from de- "without" + ment, the root of mens "mind") is a serious loss of global cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging.

[ipleathe5thh]

03:32 PM on 04/10/2012

When are the aliens gonna come and abduct this mean ugly old thing of a man

[valgonza08]

10:05 AM on 04/11/2012

oh......... and all this time I thought he was the alien left behind to try and take over the world.

[MANOFCOMMONSENSE]

02:50 PM on 04/10/2012

Joe is working on changing his legacy before he leaves this earth.. It won't read well in history books!! He is bringing himself shame in his later years

[peg2584]

03:18 PM on 04/10/2012

I just read the article. Sheriff Joe helped Thomas with these investigations which have been proved to be unethical and for political gain. Why isn't he being sanctioned also? I know the ethics panel probably doesn't have any jurisdiction over him but there should be somebody or agency that can do something.

http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1526311

[peg2584]

03:41 PM on 04/10/2012

Accidentally posted this to the wrong original post.

[TwinX]

09:34 PM on 04/10/2012

I'v been reading about that. The guy has been disbarred.

I particularly liked this:

"Thomas and Arpaio filed a major lawsuit against the group, accusing them of corruption and racketeering. Thomas also charged three of them with crimes, warning charges may be coming for the rest. “No one is above the law,” he said at the time.

Soon, however, the cases began to crumble. In some instances, the evidence that was promised by Thomas and Arpaio never materialized."

Sound familar?

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/andrew_thomas_arpaio_disbarment.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

[Jackandcoke]

02:35 PM on 04/10/2012

Breaking News from Phoenix, AZ. Former County Atty, and former right-hand of J Arpaio, A Thomas was disbarred today for ethics violations. Now it's time to recall Joe.

[peg2584]

03:52 PM on 04/10/2012

I just read the article. Sheriff Joe was involved with Thomas' investigations. These investigations have been proven to be unethical and for political gain. It seems strange that he will be getting off scott free with three other people are being sanctioned. Isn't there anyone who can do anything about him?

http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1526311

[Jackandcoke]

04:28 PM on 04/10/2012

He's on borrowed time. I think the message was sent today that he is next. Maybe things are looking up for AZ?

[skykam]

01:38 PM on 04/10/2012

== Joe Arpaio, sheriff of Arizona's Maricopa County, believes GOP presidential candidates and politicians are "hiding" the issues of Obama's eligibility and the authenticity of his birth certificate released by the White House last year. ==

Me thinks they're hiding crazy Uncle Joe quietly in the closet.

[Timothy Ven]

10:05 PM on 04/10/2012

Well they ain't doing such a good job at it and they certainly aren't keeping him quiet

[starchildjg24]

01:30 PM on 04/10/2012

This just happened in AZ, quite telling about what kind of man Arpaio is:

"In a Phoenix courtroom filled with fellow lawyers and some of his biggest critics on Tuesday, the former Arizona prosecutor who served for years as Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s right-hand man was stripped of his license to practice law.

A three-member panel of the State Bar of Arizona ruled that ex-Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas abused his powers as a prosecutor to target his political enemies. Because of that, they ruled he would be disbarred.

One of Thomas’ top aides, Lisa Aubuchon, was also disbarred for her role in the misconduct. A second aide, Rachel Alexander, had her law license suspended for six months."

If you research Arpaio's history, you will be aghast that he keeps getting re-elected! I can't imagine any sane Rep candidate wanting any connection to him.