Arpaio asks Selective Service System for assistance in 'birther' investigation

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Wednesday requested assistance from the U.S. Selective Service System as part of his ongoing investigation into President Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

“While my office will continue pursuing this investigation, I have spoken of the need to enlist the aid of other agencies," Arpaio said in a press release. "As a first step to that end, I am now requesting the assistance of the U.S. Selective Service System asking them to conduct a concurrent investigation to verify the authenticity of this document."

Arpaio announced on March 1 that his six-month investigation into Obama’s birth certificate concluded the document was most likely a “forgery.”

The Republican sheriff now claims that Obama’s Selective Service registration form from 1980 was likely a forgery as well. Arpaio has asked Selective Service System Director Lawrence Romo to produce the original form so he can determine if it is authentic.

“Failure to register or otherwise comply with the Selective Service registration process is a serious offense,” Arpaio said. “The law says a person who fails to register can end up with a $250,000 fine, five years imprisonment and is ultimately prohibited from holding any job in government.”

Arpaio is currently under federal grand jury investigation for abuse of power. The Department of Justice has alleged that the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office engaged in the “unconstitutional policing” of Latino communities.

Many of the so-called “birthers” believe there is persuasive evidence that Obama was born in Kenya in 1961 and that his birth certificate was faked in order to make him eligible for the presidency.

Hawaii officials have repeatedly confirmed Obama's citizenship and judges around the nation have consistently dismissed “birther” lawsuits against Obama’s right to be president as frivolous.

[Image via Christopher Halloran / Shutterstock.com]