Joseph Michael Arpaio (/ɑːrˈpaɪoʊ/; born June 14, 1932) is an American former law enforcement officer, politician, and conspiracy theorist. He served as the 36th Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona for 24 years, from 1993 to 2017, losing reelection to Democrat Paul Penzone in 2016. Starting in 2005, Arpaio took an outspoken stance against illegal immigration, styling himself as 'America's Toughest Sheriff'. In 2010, he became a flashpoint for opposition to Arizona's SB1070 anti-illegal immigrant law, which was largely struck down by the Supreme Court of the United States. Arpaio is also known for investigating former U.S. President Barack Obama's birth certificate, and, as of 2018, he continues to claim without evidence that it was forged. (Source: Wikipedia.org, CC BY-SA)