Posted on 12/17/2008 10:05:48 AM PST by autumnraine
I read a post the other day that a Freeper got from Congressman John Linder, Georgia, stating that he would stand and object to Obama if he doesn't show proof of constitutional eligibility.
I emailed Mr. Linder and asked if he did indeed write that email and if he was serious about holding Obama to task on something as serious as this.
A few moments ago I received a phone call from Congressman Linder's office confirming that he intends to do exactly that and he is just as intent as us on verifying Obama's eligibility.
I told his staffer (very nice lady) that I was proud of him and that I appreciated his bravery as I know he is going against the tide with this.
She said that she herself was concerned as she had to show full, long form documentation to even work in the building for a Congressman and we shouldn't be told to just take someone's word for an office as important as POTUS.
Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that at least one Congressman is standing up to this, even if the SCOTUS doesn't have the nerve to examine what would seem to be a reasonable question.
Ping to you Lucy!
Good for him. It’s nice to see that someone has courage of their convictions.
Holy cow! A real American!!!
AWESOME
Maybe we can get Mitch McConnell in the Senate.
can you post the text of the email? at least the important parts... Thanks
I have a question. If he doesn’t have a valid BC how did he get a passport?
Why doesn’t he do something useful and actually submit a bill requiring all future presidential candidates present their credentials to some government agency? I know that it’d never see the light of day but that would be actually trying to correct the situation rather than engaging in symbolic statements.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Reps Paul and Tancredo, possibly Hunter as well. Senate is another matter.
I think it goes something like this: ANY citizen can get a passport....natural born or not. It is ONLY a requirement for POTUS that he be natural born.
He’s standing up and letting people know. If he submitted a bill which, as you stated would “never see the light of day”, that too might be considered a symbolic gesture. But one we might not see if we weren’t watching CSPAN.
I give the guy credit, at least he’s standing up where most others are laying very low.
wow big news! anyone got his number so we can call and say thanks!
Right. I remember this from the Al Gore attempt to steal the election. I believe Barabar Boxer objected from the house, but no one joined her from the Senate.
I've posted the salient part of the Constitution below, but it doesn't mention any of this. (Objections to anything.) Someone have the reference to where this law/rule comes from??
US Constitution: Article 2, Section 1: The electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves. And they shall make a list of all the persons voted for, and of the number of votes for each; which list they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for President; and if no person have a majority, then from the five highest on the list the said House shall in like manner choose the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from each state having one vote; A quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. In every case, after the choice of the President, the person having the greatest number of votes of the electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal votes, the Senate shall choose from them by ballot the Vice President.
I just called Congressman Linder’s office. The woman I spoke with, Sarah, said that he is considering the option of standing on Jan 8 and requesting proof. It’s not a for sure thing. He is keeping his eye on the issue and is hopeful that it will be resolved before Jan 8. She said that a written objection has to be made AND that written objection has to be signed onto by a senator.
God bless Linder and God bless America!
pinging pissant because he/she is all over this issue and I thank him/her for it. I’ve been tracking this issue and am grateful for your input.
I believe the last time he traveled abroad he had a diplomatic passport. The rules for getting one of these are different from the rules for getting an ordinary passport. Before that there is some speculation that he traveled on a foreign passport, which might be true or it might not. (Does the FOIA apply to passport applications?!)
Also he could have proof that he is a naturalized citizen, even if he is not a natural born citizen under the meaning of the Constitution.
ML/NJ
Simple answer: you don't have to be born in the USA to have a US passport. All citizens, even naturalized ones (like my wife) can get a US Passport. Also I believe there are special rules for Senators, diplomatic passports, etc. What passport did he travel to Indonesia on as a child. Another fact we've been denied knowing.
Simple answer: you don't have to be born in the USA to have a US passport. All citizens, even naturalized ones (like my wife) can get a US Passport. Also I believe there are special rules for Senators, diplomatic passports, etc. What passport did he travel to Indonesia on as a child. Another fact we've been denied knowing.
As it is the House of Representatives that certifies presidential elections, I don’t think we need the Senate. As I understand it, the Senate has the responsibility of certifying the VP. Biden’s a shoo-in.
A bill requiring all receiving electoral votes to submit proof of eligibility as per Constitutional requirements, prior to Congressional certification, under penalty of disqualification, would suffice.
Why not do it now?
Linder’s apparently a REAL stand-up guy. At least there is one in the House of the People.
You don’t even need to be a citizen to get a passport. I used to date a Serbian woman who was a resident alien who had an American passport.
Outstanding! I hope some other Congressmen will stand with him on this.
Bump
I'd support it, though I don't know if it'd be Constitutional since the electoral votes have already been cast. But regardless, someone should take the lead and try and get legislation passed to prevent future elections from having this issue.
WHAT!!!????
A conservative with a spine!!???
YAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!
Holy cow. A real whacko.
Geez, I hope that Congressman John Linder doesn’t get squashed flat by the Obama Juggernaut and all its henchmen.
Finally someone with the stones to stand up for the Constitution.
Too bad there’s no brain attached to that spine.
McConnell or maybe Saxby Chambliss. I think McConnell is the only one with enough guts.
Now we need one Senator.
Sorry. You are wrong about that. I posted the part of the Constitution that deals with elections above. Go read it. The House controls the election only in the case of a tie or no candidate getting a majority of the EC votes. That's not at issue here. In a "normal" election the House and Senate meet jointly, presided over by the President of the Senate, (Chenney) to count the EV's.
Here is some background on one election that was disputed.
On February 12, 1817, the House and Senate met in joint session to count the electoral votes for President and Vice President. The count proceeded without incident until the roll came to the last state to be counted, Indiana. At that point, Representative John W. Taylor of New York objected to the counting of Indiana's votes. The Senate withdrew, and then the House deliberated upon Taylor's objection. To understand Taylor's objection, however, the reader will need some background:
Congress had passed an enabling act for the Territory of Indiana on April 19, 1816. It authorized the Territory to hold a constitutional convention for forming a state government and stated that the state, once formed, would be admitted to the United States. On December 11, 1816, Congress passed a joint resolution stating that Indiana had formed a state constitution on June 29, 1816, which had met the conditions of the enabling act and that Indiana was therefore admitted into the Union.
According to the Constitution, the casting of ballots by the Electoral College had to take place on a single day, and federal statute had set that day to be December 4, 1816. Taylor thus contended that the electoral votes had been cast by the Territory of Indiana, not the State of Indiana, and were thus void. Other representatives contradicted Taylor, asserting that the joint resolution merely recognized that Indiana had already joined the Union by the act of forming a state constitution and government.
These representatives pointed out that both the House and Senate had seated members from Indiana who had been elected prior to the joint resolution, which would have been unconstitutional had Indiana not been a state at the time of their election.
Representative Samuel D. Ingham then moved that the question be postponed indefinitely. The House agreed almost unanimously, and the Senate was brought back in to count the electoral votes from Indiana.
Holy cow! An Obama propagandist!
Thanks, Jack. I caught your post after I hit “Post” myself. Happens sometimes.
John Linder is my Rep. I’m so proud of him! I sent him an email praising his bravery and in standing up for the Constitution. A truly great man.
This is getting better and better.
As to legislation, again, one member -- does he sit on the relevant committee? Would a Democrat chairman of said committee bring a bill up for committee debate, pass it on to full debate in the House, should it pass, then get it through the Senate??
On all these BC threads, I have attempted to make the point that we are long past the "say so" method when it comes to certifying candidates meet the Constitutional requirements for federal office. If they cannot get proper procedural legislation passed in Congress, then the legislature of each state ought to pass something, at the very least, the party hierarchy ought to have some method whereby one's citizenship is verified, in the case of presidential nomination, that the candidate is indeed natural-born.
I wish that we had more politicians like Congressman Linder!
http://www.rallycongress.com/constitutional-qualification/1244
May I recommend another email offering to provide or direct his office to any supporting documents he may want? I know we (FReepers and others) have far more research time into this then his office could ever put in.
I believe it is congress job.
And takes their oath to defend it seriously!
3 USC 15 - Sec. 15. Counting electoral votes in Congress
(snip)
Upon such reading of any such certificate or paper, the President of the Senate shall call for objections, if any. Every objection shall be made in writing, and shall state clearly and concisely, and without argument, the ground thereof, and shall be signed by at least one Senator and one Member of the House of Representatives before the same shall be received.
(snip)
In the example you referenced I believe it was the Congresional Black Caucus who made the objection in the House and Senator Barbara Boxed joined the objection from the Senate.
That is a great idea. Gosh..., where to start? There is so much! I guess he should take a look at all of the lawsuits to start, particularly Berg’s.
I am very proud of my state right now. I truly hope he does it, gets on national TV and isn’t too belittled by the arrogant tyrants running our nation (into the ground).
How about Jeff Sessions - Alabama?
You and me, both, AR. I am proud of our state, too!
can you post the e-mail and contact onformation for the congressman??? I would like to call him and thank him...
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