GOP Rep. Trent Franks Considering Obama Citizenship Lawsuit

At a health care town hall this weekend, Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) said he might file a lawsuit to have the president release his birth certificate. The Mohave Daily News reports:

[N]umerous speakers question[ed] Obama's birth certificate and why there wasn't an investigation into whether he is a naturalized citizen. One woman said a newspaper announcement of his birth in Hawaii was not sufficient. Another asked how he could have a passport without a birth certificate.

Franks said there was not enough evidence that Obama is not an American citizen. He did say there was a lot of conflicting evidence of Obama's citizenship and that he was considering filing a lawsuit, the only congressman to do so. Franks asked why the president did not simply produce a birth certificate.

Franks would be the first congressman to file such a lawsuit. Other lawmakers have signed onto a bill that would require future presidential candidates to release their birth certificates.

The Washington Independent's Dave Weigel points out that Franks' bold move is particularly surprising given that Franks has previously made a clear statement to guerilla video-blogger Mike Stark that the president was born in the United States and had a valid birth certificate.

Rep. Franks was a sponsor of the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act in 2004.

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Comments

[research]

All of you who are wasting time and disrupting governmnet are traitors. You give aid and comfort to our enemies by relentlessly drumming up lies and petty incidents to destroy democratic presidents, yet you allow war crime of torture and wars for profit to go unpunished. You want to kill democracy and replace it with fascism and plutocracy (see the bankers plot and smedely Butler) You strive to bankrupt the government so corporatism can rule unfettered, even though it crashes economies, and kills millions of people.

Those of you who know what you are doing are traitors.

Those fools who believe and follow these traitors are destroying everything America Stands for and proving the conservatives are correct in their core belief:

Voters, the people are stupid, let the Elite rule.

Democracy or Plutocracy.

Choose.

[plsps]

Key Votes by Trent Franks _ Congressional votes database _ washington­post.com.h­tm

Now see how he really votes. He not for America. He is only for his PARTY

[TheAwakenedOne]

Trent we have your back, and the ammunition you need is on its way. The genuine article with all the correct information and appropriate seals surfaced Saturday. Youtube it.
For all you Obama Zombies. Note: We live in a Republic, not in anarchy. These statements or my support for the actions of Representative Trent Franks do not make me a Republican. Would it matter if I was black and lived in the middle of the ghetto?
FYI, I am an independent, just another law abiding citizen who loves his country and who has an appreciation for principle, the rule of law, ethics, and reputation. If any of these concepts applied to Barack Hussein Obama II, he would have a different circle of friends; his life would be an open book, transparent as the government he promised, quite unlike his empty rhetoric.

[TheSpecter]

Q. What are five words you'll never hear a Birther teacher say?

A. I cant' you're only fourteen.

Q. What did the fertility doctor say to the Birther woman who couldn't conceive?

A. Try another brother.

Q. Why wouldn’t the Birther Dad let his twelve year old daughter smoke at the table?

A. It would set a bad example for her kids.

[TheSpecter]

Q. Why do Birthers wear work boots?

A. So their knuckles don’t drag.

Q. How can you tell a Birther’s been in your house?

A. The beers all gone, there are chew stains on the carpet and your dog’s pregnant.

Q. What do you call a Birther who doesn’t sleep with his sister, doesn’t collect welfare, and doesn't own a gun?

A. An inmate.

[ALYankees12]

The actual argument.

First Off, I believe Obama was born in Hawaii

He did release a certificate of live birth. This is not the same document created at the time of his birth. However, it is a legal document that proves his citizenship.

People want him to release his ORIGINAL birth certificate. Hawaiian officials have said that they saw it and it does exist, but Obama has not made it public.

Why would he not want to make his ORIGINAL birth certificate public?

I don't know. There could be several reasons. Here are a few possible reasons.

1. It doesn't exist.----It could have been lost or destroyed. I don't neccessarily believe a Hawaiian official who says "I saw it, I swear it exists, but you can't see it.

2. He likes keeping the birthers in the news to make the GOP look like nutjobs.----He could easily appease them by releasing, yet he has chose not too. It seems logical that this is the reason.

3. Personal Privacy----why would you need to keep you birth certificate private?

4. It's embarrassi­ng------ma­ybe his real first name is Betty?

I do not thing it is crazy for a person to want him to release it. It would put this whole thing to rest. However, there are more important things to worry about.

[Principaldad]

Your forgot:
5. Nothing will appease the birthers - They will cling to this idea despite all facts to the contrary. No release of any record will make any difference. They did not accept his OFFICIAL birth certificate and they will not accept some antiquated record from the Hawaiian State Department.

Their argument would be something like "it does not have a seal" or other nonsense that would not apply to a document that was never intended for public use. They do not believe the official document, the word of state officials (including Republicans), and a paper trail going back 50 years. Why would anyone expect them to believe a copy of an obscure document? All it would do is trigger a new wave of lawsuits by people claiming forgery.

Whether Obama does not want this record released is beside the point. The state of Hawaii does not offer this record to people, not even to the actual subject of the record. I suppose being the President he could ask them to do something special for him, but why bother when the birthers aren't going to accept it anyway?

What I would like to know is why people feel they have the right to see something that is irrelevant. Like you stated, his citizenship is proven by the official document that is offered by the state to all people. No other president has been asked for such a thing, even though other presidents and presidential candidates have been questionable.

[ALYankees12]

This is mostly correct. Only thing is, Obama could get the document and release it if he wanted. The state would give it to him, and if not, he could go to court and make them.

It wouldn't appease all birthers, but it would appease some of them. There is no hope for some.

[JazzyJim]

RNC/GOP - The reason abortions should be a "choice" and that home schooling should not be considered "education".

[Principaldad]

Where does homeschooling enter into this?

[tonydon]

I think we need to have a mental fitness test for all the birthers and vote them out of office. We are in a crisis caused ny 8 years of Bush/ Cheney and we keep bring this up. Get over it Rep . YOU lost the Election and you will lose your position after the next election.

[JazzyJim]

These People know crazy - please tell your family and friends in the heartland - they HAVE TO GO:
Clockwise from top left, Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla.; Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla.; Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif.; Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas; Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Rep. John Campbell, R-Calif.

Birthers = NeoConNutjobs - these are birthers in Congress, please point their idiocracy out family and friends, Facebook, twitter, whatever - let's go America - Time to get crazy out of government!

[DoctorDoctor]

let him file it. it'll be hilarious.

[postman66]

NathanTeager I'm a Fan of NathanTeager I'm a fan of this user permalink

Actually, that should have fallen to the states as was originally outlined in the constitution. Imagine if you didn't like how your state was running things. You could move to the state that mirrors your views. When the federal government gets involved, you loose choices. The constitution didn't mention slavery in the beginning at all. Slavery was never a right of any person. Unfortunately, most of us are descendents of slaves.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:33 AM on

Nathan Teager are you the descendant of A.A slaves? Really

[Horus45]

I am embarrassed that this guy is my Rep.

[KLordsha]

I want to be the first person to officially dare Rep. Franks to file the lawsuit...

[mitsie]

You beat me to that post, I will second that dare.

[Tigerpath]

Double dare!

[SimianNation]

GOP Rep. Trent Franks...just another clown.

[NathanTeager]

I think Obama’s citizenship is the least of our problems at the moment. I find the amount of bills trying to be jammed down our throat the biggest problem. Who here can actually carry on an intelligent argument about the health care bill? All I know id I would be paying $170 more a month than I do now. You realize that under the bill you would have to have health care. I know a lot of people who choose not to have it because they fell like they are healthy and would rather have the extra money. With this bill they have no choice. They will have to pay for something. Too bad for them, because if the bill passes, they will have to pay more than they would now.

[edgeways]

bo freaking hoo. You mean people would have to chip in so that if they get sruck by a car tomorrow they could actually afford to get hospital care?

I'm sorry but not only is your comment a partial derail, it is libertarian nonsense.

[NathanTeager]

Also, I find it funny that rather that try to have a discussion. Someone decided to flag my comments to suppress free speech. Pure Obama tactics there. Remember, whatever Obama signs into law will one day have a republican interpreting them. If you are scared of republicans (like you obviously are), imagine what we could do with all the stuff Obama is pushing. Once a precedent has been set, it can be expanded. Do you want a republican in control of your health care? Democrats will not rule forever, and if you want that, you support a dictatorship.

[SimianNation]

Typical Birther bs!

[NathanTeager]

I'm not to worried about it actually. I just make it my point to show hypocrisy on both sides. I agree with the constitution. It worked fine before we started altering it. There is a reason the founding fathers wrote that the federal government would have no powers except those specifically outlined in the constitution.

[mitsie]

People have been saying the same old thing since the sixties. I'm a wise old woman, and "NathanTeabager," you and the rest of your teabagers, might as well relax, nothing is going to happen to you, your kids, or the rest of us. Why don't you post a link, showing how you arrived at $170 more a month you would have to pay, unless you earn more then 1/2 million, and if you do, stop whining.

You folks, that don't give a damn about your neighbor really tick me off. I am on medicare, I only have to worry about my co pays, but if I felt I could help my neighbor I would pay $170 per month to help them, especially if they have kids. You all ususally are wearing your religeon on your sleeves, but you seem to have forgotten about the old testiment. How about the poor boxes and such in church, have you given to them? What really upsets me, is that you people want to know, how does it affect me? What can it do for me? Me, me, me, how did American's become so selfish. I may not wear my religeon on my sleeve, but my parents brought me up better then this!!!

[NathanTeager]

I find it hilarious that these nutjobs on here had no problem with Democrats making McCain produce his birth certificate and prove his citizenship. Now that it’s good Obama, there is a problem. I wish that one time I could find a Democrat who could argue their points with logical thought as opposed to name calling. There is a reason, though. It's because your opinions are based on emotion and not logic (you just love the guy and he can do no wrong). No one on here could tell me that if the courts ordered you to produce your birth certificate for any reason, that you would spend millions fighting the ruling. That is proof enough. If he is a US citizen, it makes me wonder what kind of sane person would spend millions to keep their birth certificate suppressed. Use some logic for a change. I have no idea if he is a citizen or not (could be settled easily by producing a birth certificate). I know there is definitely something fishy going on. I'm not sure why anyone would want to make this a case now. Seems like a congressman should have done this during the primary if it bothered them so much. If there is one thing worse than Obama, it is Biden. At least Obama can give a good speech even if he doesn't really say anything.

[SimianNation]

Your a clown!

[postman66]

You made all that up. No court has ordered anything, they have tossed cases w/o hearing. As for the millions Obama spent on attorneys, how do you know his attorney fees?

[NathanTeager]

Look up the Berg vs. Obama case.

[mitsie]

You have had your first amendment right, but you are also insulting our President. I happen to support this President. You are obviously a teabagger, according to your name. However, you are spreading lies that hurt America not the President. Let this person file a case in court. It won't be the first time, the other cases were not successful. Nothing that we here can say will change your minds. However, it's not necessary to come here and post, post after post insulting America, which you are doing when you use this reason to insult the President.

[NathanTeager]

I suppose you never said a bad word about Bush?

[Principaldad]

You accuse Democrats of namecalling but the very first sentence you have written on this site contains the word nu.tjob. Ironic.

No Democrats made McCain produce his birth certificate. What the Democrats did is pass a bill that affirmed that people in McCain's situation would be considered citizens. That is right, the opposing party defended McCain.

Also, Obama has not spent anything to "suppress" his birth certificate. The actual birth certificate, the one that is the official proof for all legal purposes, is all over the internet. The state of Hawaii, however, is not allowed to let just anyone have copies because of privacy and identity theft reasons. This whole "suppressed" Iie comes from birthers attempts to iIIegally obtain private state documents and the state, on their own, refusing. If you think that Obama has "suppressed" his certificate, I challenge you to obtain a birth certificate for any other prominent Hawaiian though normal channels. Until you do that, you are just blowing smoke.

[NathanTeager]

Barack Obama did not spend millions, the DNC did. Also, read the case. He was ordered to show the court his birth certificate but the DNC kept paying to appeal to the supreme court which stated that the accuser had no right to file the lawsuit to begin with because he was from the wrong state. A congressman does have the right.