Sheriff Joe now headed for Tampa

Amid his battle with the Justice Department and his investigation of Obama's eligibility, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been asked to address a large audience of delegates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa.

The invitation-only reception for delegates from Western states will be held Aug. 30 at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. Elephants, appropriately, are expected to be at the GOP event.

“Sheriff Joe is a good friend and a great Republican,” said Tom Morrissey, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party.

Noting Arpaio is a former member of the Electoral College representing Arizona, Morrissey said the sheriff is "wildly popular, not just in Maricopa County, but throughout the state and the country."

"He’s done a lot for the Republican Party already, and we’re overjoyed that as always he is willing to join us as we visit some of our ‘fellow elephants’ while in Tampa,” the GOP leader said.

Arpaio has called for a congressional investigation to examine Obama’s presidential eligibility under Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution. His Cold Case Posse investigative team has concluded the long-form birth certificate posted on the White House website is a computer-generated forgery. The team also has concluded Obama’s Selective Service Registration form was forged.

See Sheriff Joe Arpaio's most recent press conference on Obama's eligibility

Meanwhile, in a lawsuit, the Department of Justice has charged Arpaio with racially profiling Latinos in his immigration patrols. Arpaio vehemently denies the charge and has challenged the DOJ to provide concrete evidence.