Former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio says he will resume his controversial campaign challenging the legality of former President Obama’s birth certificate if he is elected to the Senate.<\/p>\n
In remarks first reported by Right Wing Watch, Arpaio, now running in a GOP Senate primary, told a roomful of supporters in Arizona that he has remained silent about his accusations pertaining to Obama’s birthplace while campaigning. But Arpaio said he plans to resume his attacks if elected.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI don\u2019t talk about it anymore, until I become a U.S. senator. \u2026 So I\u2019m kind of dropping that right now,” Arpaio told the\u00a0Western Conservative Conference in Phoenix.<\/p>\n
“But I\u2019m going to tell you something,” Arpaio continued,\u00a0“One hundred percent we proved that\u2019s a fake document. One hundred.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arpaio is running as a supporter of President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE in the Arizona Senate race to replace retiring Sen. Jeff FlakeJeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeGOP lawmakers stick to Trump amid new criticism Kelly holds double-digit lead over McSally in Arizona: poll Trump asserts his power over Republicans MORE (R). He faces two other GOP candidates in an August primary election, where he currently trails GOP Rep. Martha McSallyMartha Elizabeth McSallyGOP senators introduce resolution opposing calls to defund the police No evidence of unauthorized data transfers by top Chinese drone manufacturer: study Senate Democratic campaign arm launches online hub ahead of November MORE (Ariz.), according to RealClearPolitics.<\/p>\n
The former Arizona sheriff concluded a years-long investigation into the supposed forgery of Obama’s birth certificate in 2016, declaring that he had found evidence proving the document was fake. Arpaio and others who challenged the birth certificate have been accused of racism.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis investigation was never about where President Obama was born,\u201d Arpaio said\u00a0at the time. \u201cWe were going to investigate a government possible forged document.\u201d<\/p>\n
In January, Arpaio told a news station he wanted Congress to investigate presidential birth certificates, again attacking the former president.<\/p>\n
“I’m going to tell you again that that document is a forgery document,” Arpaio told WABC\u00a0in January. “And nobody will touch it.”<\/p>\n
“I wanted to get it to Congress so they can pass some type of law \u2014 regulation \u2014 that when somebody runs for president you ought to check their background, so this won’t happen again,” he added. “But I can’t get anybody \u2014 anybody \u2014 to even look at it.”<\/p>\n