Donald Trump Raises Questions
While Donald Trump has not officially announced his candidacy for President of the United States, he has political aspirations. Earlier this month he told Good Morning America he is seriously considering a run for the presidency.
The host of the “Celebrity Apprentice” is asking for the Obama administration to produce a birth certificate. He is not alone; many “birthers” believe Barack Obama was born in Kenya and not Hawaii.
Timeline of the Controversy
During the 2008 election season, emails were circulated questioning Obama’s birth location and religion. The National Review added fuel to the debate saying that his original name was Barry, and his middle name was Muhammad, not Hussein.
On June 12, 2008 the Obama campaign released a copy of the certificate obtained from the Hawaii Department of Health a year earlier. After the release, a report in the National Review stated “Barring some vast conspiracy within the Hawaii State Department of Health, there is no reason to think his (original) birth certificate would have any different data.”
The birther movement responded that the certificate was digitally forged.
In 2001 the state of Hawaii destroyed all paper birth certificates and stored the data in computers.
After the state became overburdened with requests for a copy of the birth certificate, they released a statement.
On October 31, 2008 the director of the Hawaii Department of Health, Chiyome Fukino, released a statement. “I as Director of Health for the State of Hawaii, along with the Registrar of Vital Statistics who has statutory authority to oversee and maintain these type of vital records, have personally seen and verified that the Hawaii State Department of Health has Sen. Obama’s original birth certificate on record in accordance with state policies and procedures”.
Recently the release of another birth certificate from the Republic of Kenya was circulated. This gave the movement more ammunition until it was pointed out that Kenya did not become a Republic until after the certificate was made.
Birther Questions Remain
There have been lawsuits filed against President Obama. On August 21, 2008 Pennsylvania attorney Philip J. Berg filed suit (Berg v. Obama) claiming Obama was born in Kenya. The petition was denied by the Supreme Court.
Attorney Mario Apuzzo, on behalf of Charles Kerchner sued Obama and Congress (Kerchner v. Obama). A request for a hearing was denied.
On January 20, 2009, Orly Taitz filed a lawsuit (Barnett v. Obama). That case was dismissed.
There have been numerous other court cases with similar outcomes. Hollister v. Soetoro and Cook v. Good didn’t have positive results.
Donald Trump is not alone. In 2009 Sarah Palin said: “I think the public rightfully is still making it an issue. I don’t have a problem with that. I don’t know if I would have to bother to make it an issue, because I think that members of the electorate still want answers.”
By Mark Williams
0 komentar:
Post a Comment