Man Who Birthed Joe Arpaio's Birther Investigation Slams Sheriff For Continuing "Deceptive...Sham"; Zullo: "Closer Than Ever" (READ)

Last week, in the wake of Donald Trump's bombshell announcement that he suddenly believes that President Barack Obama was born in the United States*, we wrote that "eyes now turn to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio." Though our eyes may have wandered, Arpaio finally responded last night and told the nation that he is still investigating the production of the Obama birth certificate for signs of forgery.

AP Photo/Mary Altaffer...flag too small

The Sheriff addressed those questions last night in a talk to the group that started his involvement - the Surprise Tea Party Patriots - and he brought his lead posse investigator, Mike Zullo. However, the now-former STTP board member who initiated the petition that convinced Arpaio to begin the investigation more than five years ago, says Arpaio "is still milking my idea for every bit of publicity he can garner."

In an email this morning to the Arizona Republic and Arizona's Politics, Brian Reilly summarized why the investigation should have been terminated in mid-2012 after Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery and then-Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett reviewed the evidence and accepted Obama's documentation.

"Joe Arpaio, the master of showmanship and dog and pony shows, is showing Maricopa County Republicans and Tea Party members complete and total disrespect by continuing to assert that he and his volunteer posse are still investigating President Barack Obama's birth certificate, when the investigation should have been concluded May 22, 2012. Arpaio's actions, in my opinion, are deceptive, and shameful."

The Arizona Republic article includes several quotes from Trump's Arizona campaign and the STTP members who attended, and those comments were not critical of the Sheriff - a top-line Trump surrogate - and were consciously trying not to criticize Trump for backing down.

Reilly relinquished his positions on the MCSO's Cold Case Posse - the Zullo-led unit apparently "closer than ever" (to something) - and the STTP board after becoming convinced that the birth certificate is not forged. He began speaking out in 2012, and Arizona's Politics has found his information to be very credible.  He said it was "unfortunate" that the Republic article did not seek out dissenting views such as his.

Both Trump and Arpaio will be on the November 8 ballot - Arpaio for a 7th term in Maricopa County, and Trump nationally for the Presidency.

Here is his letter to the Republic:

Rebekah,
It's unfortunate azcentral didn't take the time to ask the individual who developed and initiated the plan and wrote and delivered the petition with 242 signatures to Sheriff Arpaio and Chief Brian Sands requesting that the MCSO investigate the authenticity of President Obama's birth certificate back on August 18, 2011 and what the originator now thinks of Arpaio's latest remarks regarding Arpaio's ridiculous, "ongoing," sham investigation. 

I am the originator of the plan. It was my idea. It was my petition and Arpaio is still milking my idea for every bit of publicity he can garner. The so called Arpaio investigation should have been over on May 22, 2012 when the Arizona Secretary of State, Ken Bennett received the certified Verification of Birth for Barack Obama from the Hawaii Department of Health. A similar Verification of Birth was also used in court in Mississippi in 2012 to prove that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. 

In a personal email sent to me in 2012, by Maricopa County Attorney, William Montgomery, he stated that he had reviewed all of Arpaio's "evidence" and he said he considered it "speculation." Montgomery also stated that Arpaio would need to prove that Barack Obama was not a U.S. citizen for Montgomery to take any action. The Hawaii Verification of Birth proves that Barack Obama is in fact a U.S. citizen. 

Joe Arpaio, the master of showmanship and dog and pony shows, is showing Maricopa County Republicans and Tea Party members complete and total disrespect by continuing to assert that he and his volunteer posse are still investigating President Barack Obama's birth certificate, when the investigation should have been concluded May 22, 2012. Arpaio's actions, in my opinion, are deceptive, and shameful. 

What continues to amaze me is that many Republicans in Maricopa County still put their blind faith in the credibility of a sheriff who has none.

*Trump acknowledged Obama was born in the U.S., though he significantly - to many Birthers - did not also acknowledge that he believes either that Obama is a citizen or that the birth certificate produced by Obama is fraud-free.

(Corrected year in which Reilly began speaking out, to 2012.)

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