A six-month investigation revealed evidence that the birth certificate the Obama administration presented last year, to prove President Barack Obama’s citizenship, was forged electronically, said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio during a news conference Thursday.
Members of the Surprise Arizona Tea Party presented a signed petition in August 2011 requesting Arpaio investigate President Barack Obama’s citizenship status, according to a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department press release Thursday.
“I do not believe that it is a scan of an original 1961 paper document, as represented by the White House when the long-form birth certificate was made public,” Arpaio said in the press conference.
Arpaio said he is also questioning the authenticity of the President’s selective service registration card presented by the Obama administration as evidence of his citizenship.
The sheriff said though his office is not questioning Obama’s citizenship status, evidence shows forgery crimes may have been committed and the Sheriff’s Cold Case Posse, which consists of former law enforcement officers and lawyers at no cost to taxpayers, said they believe they have identified persons of interest.
“We have also determined during the course of our investigation that the Hawaii Department of Health engaged in what we believe is a systematic effort to hide any original 1961 birth records that they may have in their possession,” Sheriff’s Investigator Mike Zullo said in the conference.
Arpaio said further investigation is necessary.
“A continuing investigation is needed to not only understand more about the creation of the alleged birth certificate forgery, but also to determine who, if anyone, in the White House or the state of Hawaii may have authorized it,” Arpaio said.
Reach the reporter at kmmandev@asu.edu
Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
