US Audio Feature: The Arizona Sheriff & President Obama's Birth Certificate --- Scott Lucas with the BBC

Photo: Matt York (AP)On Tuesday afternoon, a controversial Arizona sheriff named Joe Arpaio said his "volunteer posse" of investigators had found President Obama's birth certificate is definitely fraudulent. This would disqualify Obama, who was born in Hawaii according to official records, from standing for re-election.

I spoke with BBC WM about the personality and politics behind the diversion of Arpaio, renowned for re-introducing chain gangs and stunts such as pink handcuffs for prisoners.

For example, the more important story --- overlooked in the Associated Press summary of Arpaio's conference --- is that the sheriff is facing a court hearing in a class-action lawsuit on Thursday, challenging his crackdown on Hispanic men and women as "illegal" residents of Phoenix and Maricopa County.

Then there is the small matter that Arpaio, sheriff since 1992, is standing for re-election in November....

The item starts just after the 1:20.30 mark.