Arpaio to speak at zoo near GOP convention

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio will address a large audience of delegates at the Republican National Convention in Tampa on Thursday, but the sheriff won’t be delivering his speech on center stage.

The invitation-only reception for delegates from Western states will be held at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, where Arpaio plans to talk about the birther movement, among other things.

“I may calm it down a bit, but I will zero in on immigration and maybe if they ask about the birth certificate, which is still under investigation,” he said.

Arpaio also said illegal immigration will be his focus because the president has reinvented the problem by allowing thousands of young illegal immigrants to stay in the United States.

“Illegal immigration is back in action again, which makes me happy, because it was dying and everybody wants it to die on both sides,” he said.

Arpaio said he expects a healthy number of protestors to be at his appearance.