It’s amazing how Republicans complain about the wasting of tax payer money, but when it comes to one of the most asinine conspiracy theories ever, spending that money is fine:

Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s volunteer investigation into documents pertaining to President Barack Obama’s residency status now includes the services of a taxpayer-funded deputy, according to Arpaio.

The deputy joined Mike Zullo, a volunteer member of Arpaio’s cold-case posse, in Hawaii this week in part due to “security issues,” according to Arpaio, and because the investigation has progressed.

“It’s one deputy, so what? We have security issues, too, that I can’t got into,” Arpaio said on Friday. “For six months we were not spending any money. When you’re doing investigations sometimes things change, you put more resources into it.”

The cold-case posse has spent about $40,000 on the investigation so far, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The posse is funded through donations.

Arpaio has in the past touted the investigation’s total reliance on donated funds and volunteers, but the investigation now requires the use of a sworn deputy.

Maybe someone should ask Sheriff Joe to produce his birth certificate.