Louie Gohmert: Another GOP Rep Signs On To Birther Bill

There has been a noticeable backlash in recent days against those conservatives who insist that Barack Obama was not born in the United States and is therefore an illegitimate president. But not every elected Republican official is downplaying the fringe movement.

On Tuesday, the "birther bill" got an additional co-sponsor in the House of Representatives: Louie Gohmert (R-Texas). The Texas Republican's office didn't issue a press release announcing his support. And a request from comment from his office was not immediately returned.

He is the tenth Republican in the House to sign on to Rep. Bill Posey's (R-Fla.) legislation. The bill would require a presidential candidate to provide a copy of his or her birth certificate in order to "meet the qualifications for eligibility to the Office of President under the Constitution."

While Gohmert embraces birtherism, some of his fellow Republicans are sprinting away from it. On Wednesday, RNC Chairman Michael Steele's office called the whole issue an "unnecessary distraction."

"Chairman Steele wants to move beyond this conversation and continue discussing the real and immediate concerns that face American families like the economy and health care," said Steele's press secretary, Gail Gitcho. "Americans are concerned with President Obama's health care plan, a failed stimulus package and a ballooning deficit. Chairman Steele has many other issues to take up with the president that have to do with policy, not a birth certificate."

(HT: Media Matters Action Network)

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Comments

[Janus]

11:09 AM on 08/01/2009

Here we go again with another irresponsible Texan from within the huge community of candidates for this distinction.

Worse, this guy was a judge. Can you imagine this guy on the bench for the trial of your case?

[TwoCentsIn]

02:30 AM on 07/31/2009

ATTN: All sponsors of Birther Bill

Please submit forthwith your birth certificate online at your website(s).
If you were born at home, you might not have one, but that's no excuse.
If your birth certificate lists only one parent, that's okay. It's not your fault.

Sponsoring silly legislation, however, wastes time and taxpayers' money, and that IS your fault.

[jazabelz]

04:20 PM on 07/30/2009

He's one of those idiots who will not accept e-mails from anyone that doesn't live in his district! I would like to remind all Senators and Congressmen that we pay Federal Income Taxes and therefore, they are beholding to all of us in that category! As long as I am paying their salaries and health benefits, they should not be allowed to block their e-mail addresses! One more example of how out of touch and irresponsible these Republicans are.

[PoliticalJunkie65]

03:24 PM on 07/30/2009

This is just a ploy by some in the GOP and Faux news to distract Obama and his administration from getting anything done.

They have no voice now that they are not in control of the Senate or the House or the White House for that matter so they figure if they throw enough poop (for the moderator!) something will stick.

[IssuesInFocus]

11:55 PM on 07/30/2009

Its absolutely insulting to the President and the nation. When will this end.?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m32iJgIpyL8

[Babs Morgan]

06:05 AM on 07/30/2009

Does anyone really think the "Birther" (bowel) movement is about anything OTHER THAN Obama's "mixed" race? Does anyone think that if his father was a white plantation owner from South Africa or Rhodesia, and his name was more "western," there would be any question about his birthplace and citizenship? While Glenn Beck and others pontificate that Obama is a racist, those on the opposite side of the conversation should be calling spades spades: the Birthers, the "racist" accusers, the "Socialist" screamers are the true, obvious racists. If President Barack Obama were a caucasian man, none of this would be part of the discussion, and they would have to find real issues and ideas to rail about. It's interesting that they don't or can't and have to rely on this kind of gutter discussion to get attention even on their own networks.

[MacGregor57]

01:51 AM on 07/30/2009

I think we have found the evolutionary "missing link".

[jde]

01:40 AM on 07/30/2009

So this is the republican response to healthcare reform and the economy?

[greenie 61]

12:53 AM on 07/30/2009

I love it...one more nail in the proverbial coffin. GOPers, wear your kaa-razzy on your sleeves for all to see.

[MacGregor57]

12:44 AM on 07/30/2009

Another Goober.

[elr50]

11:56 PM on 07/29/2009

I recently took a cross country trip, and I made a determined effort to avoid Texas. I wouldn't go there if they paid me to visit. Tell this congressman he is costing his state tourist dollars. I avoided as many red states as I could, and when I couldn't I made a determined effort to spend as little money as possible in that state. I put my money where my politics are.

[moongal6]

11:13 PM on 07/29/2009

I am almost starting to feel sorry for these people.
Do they not understand how ignorant they appear?
It is frightening.

[jeanwny]

11:05 PM on 07/29/2009

Never mind the senior citizen rumor they had better round these guys up

[Dbos]

11:00 PM on 07/29/2009

We live in a deeply divided country ,THOSE WITH BRAINS AND THE OTHERS.

[helgathewitch]

10:43 PM on 07/29/2009

What nationality is this guy. His name doesn't sound American!

French? Spanish?

[Imhotep40]

11:25 PM on 07/29/2009

Gomert, as in Gomer Pyle of Mayberry RFD . . . . . you know the Marine who wouldn't have survived "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" . . . . Gomert - Gomer, one in the same

[jazabelz]

04:22 PM on 07/30/2009

Probably need to check his birth certificate while we're at it! Might be a little hard though if he was born in Texas because they are converting to digital records, just like Hawaii, so who knows he could very well be a foreigner!

[Easttexas82]

10:39 PM on 07/29/2009

This man is my representative to the U S Congress. He ran on the platform "I'll do whatever W says". In the end, I have to believe this is a good thing. People do eventually get their fill of stupidity.
I told my high school age daughter that when she came home from school one day after the election shocked at how hateful some where about Pres. Obama. I told her those kids probably always assumed most people thought the way they did. My daughter never imagined anybody felt that way.
I told my 4th grader that some people are basically afraid of people who look different when she asked why a kid would say "it's ok that Obama got elected, somebody will shoot him" She asked 'You mean like if they're dark? (that's her word for it, I've never taught her about our labels for everybody) That's just stupid!" I said exactly