(Newser)
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Joe Arpaio has never exactly shied away from the limelight, and he's stepping right into it once again today. The self-styled "toughest sheriff in America" has called a press conference for later today to reveal the results of his investigation into President Obama's birth certificate, the AP reports. Arpaio didn't hint at what his investigative team, which consisted of five members of his volunteer "cold case posse" might have found. But he did defend the investigation, which was requested by Arizona Tea Party members.
"I'm not going after Obama," he said. "I'm just doing my job." Some have speculated that the investigation is a stunt designed to draw attention from Arpaio's own legal troubles; a grand jury is investigating him for abuse of power, the Justice Department has accused him of racial profiling, and he's been accused of failing to investigate hundreds of sex crimes. But he says that's ridiculous. "You say I need this to get elected? Are you kidding me?" he said. "I've been elected five times. I don't need this."
