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Board Decides: Pres. Obama Will Stay On Kansas Ballot
TOPEKA, Kan. — A group of Republican leaders in Kansas is backing down off a plan to possibly strike President Barack Obama’s name from the November presidential ballot over what they claim are questions over his citizenship.
The objection was filed by Joe Montgomery, a communications coordinator for the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. He spoke before the all-Republican State Objections Board Thursday, arguing that “there is no certified legal documentation provided by (Obama’s) counsel”.
“The federal rules of evidence consider that documentation to be self-authenticating, but only when submitted…for inspection by all parties for authenticity,” Montgomery said.
On Friday, Montgomery backed off his objection, clearing the way for Obama’s inclusion on the November ballot.
Section 1 Article 2 of the Constitution states, “No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.”
Obama’s mother was born in Kansas but his father was born in Kenya. According to critics, that alone does not make Obama a “natural born citizen”. But the long-form birth certificate Obama released shows he was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Hawaii officials confirm he was born there. That would make Obama a natural born U.S. citizen.
Montgomery, though, claims the birth certificate was doctored and questions whether Obama is truly a natural born citizen since his father was not an American.
The Kansas Objections Board consists of three Republican politicians: Secretary of State Kris Kobach, Attorney General Derek Schmidt, and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer. After hearing arguments Thursday, the Board voted to delay until Monday a decision on whether to take the President’s name off the ballot. They want to hear from the President and receive more documentation on this issue.
Kansas Democratic Party Chairwoman Joan Wagnon said the allegations are absurd and insulting, adding the issue has already been resolved.
Kobach said the motion to delay their decision should not be construed that the Board will take the President’s name off the ballot.
He added it will be hard for Montgomery to prevail because Kansas has a high legal standard when it comes to removing a candidate from the ballot.
