The Letters gave them Cover to do what they desperately wanted to do anyway. Make this issue go away while pretending they did their job.
SOS Bennett was actually surprised when he couldn't get cooperation from Hawaii. He made his promise to require proof before he knew that Hawaii really didn't want to give him anything.
He smelled a rat, but he was far more afraid of bringing embarrassment and humiliation to himself than he was in pursuing it. It was another of those "Let this Cup pass before me" events in which he managed to get away from it.
There was no difference in states’ responses whether there was a letter of verification from Hawaii or an actual eligibility ballot challenge that was adjudicated. Every state’s Chief Elections Official cleared Obama for the state ballot, in 2008 and in 2012.
In Arizona, the Courts backed up Ken Bennett’s decision:
Allen v Obama, Arizona Superior Court Judge Richard E. Gordon: “Arizona courts are bound by United States Supreme Court precedent in construing the United States Constitution, and this precedent fully supports that President Obama is a natural born citizen under the Constitution and thus qualified to hold the office of President. Contrary to Plaintiff’s assertion, Minor v. Happersett, 88 U.S. 162 (1874), does not hold otherwise.”—Pima County Superior Court, Tuscon, Arizona, March 7, 2012
http://www.scribd.com/doc/84531299/AZ-2012-03-07-Allen-v-Obama-C20121317-ORDER-Dismissing-Complaint
And it was the same in Georgia:
Swensson, Powell, Farrar and Welden v Obama, Administrative Law Judge Michael Mahili, State of Georgia Administrative Hearings: “For the purposes of this analysis, the Court considered that Barack Obama was born in the United States. Therefore, as discussed in Ankeny, he became a citizen at birth and is a natural born citizen. Accordingly, President Barack Obama is eligible as a candidate for the presidential primary under O.C.G.A. under Section 21-2-5(b). February 3, 2012
http://www.scribd.com/doc/80424508/Swensson-Powell-Farrar-Welden-vs-Obama-Judge-Michael-Malihi-s-Final-Order-Georgia-Ballot-Access-Challenge-2-3-12
In 2012 there were 50 Obama ballot challenges heard in 22 states. No court or state elections board found him ineligible.