Let's Classify This AZ Secretary of State's Birther Email Demands As 'Comedy Gold'

Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett has been in hot pursuit of extra-double email verification from the Hawaii government of Barack Obama's birth certificate. Bennett made a pledge to the state's voters -- no extra-double email verification, no Obama on the ballot. What's the big deal, haters? He's only seeking this unique extra verification because serious, trustworthy sages such as Jerome Corsi and Joe Arpaio and his 1,200 worst constituents told him it was necessary. It is his duty, to get the birth certificate. Again. For just Obama. It is not pandering, he promises. (Sadly for him, the only other explanation besides pandering would be that he's a genuine warm-blooded idiot.) Now who wants to read his emails with Hawaii officials where he can't offer them a valid statutory need for his request and so turns to whining instead? Oh, please let this play out for a while, please please please!

This story will approach optimal comedy volume if it lasts through the summer and into the fall -- cross your fingers for court action! -- and this Bennett dupe begins to sweat more and more each day about this extremely voluntary quest he's embarked on. He could win Idiot of the Year, even, if this becomes a major national story a couple of months before a presidential election. Uh, oh... we're getting our hopes up again, and the doctor's instructions were pretty clear about that... so, onward: Here are Bennett's first and last emails to give you an indication of the trend; the rest can be found at TPM:  

March 30, 2012

Hawaii Department of Health

Office of Health Status Monitoring

Vital Records Issuance Section

P.O. Box 3378

Honolulu, HI 96801

Ladies and gentlemen:

Enclosed please find a request for a verification in lieu of a certified copy for the birth record of Barack Hussein Obama II. In addition to the items to be verified in the attached form, please verify the following items from the record of birth:

Department of Health File #151 61 10641

Time of birth: 7:24 p.m.

Name of hospital: Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital

Age of father: 25

Birthplace of Father: Kenya, East Africa

Age of mother: 18

Birthplace of mother: Wichita, Kansas

Date of signature of parent: 8-7-1961

Date of signature of attendant: 8-8-1961

Date accepted by local registrar: August-8 1961

Additionally, please verify that the attached copy of the Certificate of Live Birth for Mr. Obama is a true and accurate representation of the original record in your files.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Sincerely,

Ken Bennett

Arizona Secretary of State

----

From: Bennett, Ken

Sent: Friday, April 27, 2012 11:00 AM

To: ‘Brian Reilly’

Cc: Tom Ballantyne; Jeff Lichter; Jim Wise; Gabe Zolna; ‘crossroadswithvan’; Wesley W. Harris; Tom Jenney; ‘rodriddle’

Subject: RE: Your Oath of Office, Ken?

Dear Brian, Tom, and All,

Thank you for your emails seeking resolution to President Obama’s qualification for office and, therefore, his right to be on our ballot. In your calls for me to make sure he follows the law and is “subject to the same rational and reasonable standards as every other citizen”, it is imperative that we follow the rule of law as well.

Arizona law requires an individual to file nomination papers wherein they certify they meet the qualifications of the office sought and have met other requirements such as committee formation and signatures. We review elements in the filing that can be verified on their face (completeness, numbers of signatures, etc.). Challenges to the remaining facts in the filing (validity of each signature, residency and other qualification aspects) are solely brought through legal process in the courts.

Because of the importance and profile of the President’s case, and at the request of many constituents, I have gone the extra step of asking the State of Hawaii to verify the facts contained in his birth certificate. Hawaii is bound by their own statutes to provide such verification to other state officials in their official duties and, to Brian’s point, I do not believe they can avoid their duty to me under a criminal investigation loophole because I am not investigating them.

The fact that Obama certified his citizenship on the 2008 PPE form is irrelevant to me because Arizona does not grant its electoral votes in the PPE. I believe there is significance in changing our nomination form for the actual election to include the certification.

With all due respect, the MCSO investigation has not proven anything other than raised probable cause that the birth certificate posted on the Whitehouse website “may be” a forgery. The next lawful step would be for the Sheriff’s office to turn their findings over to the County Attorney for prosecution. Evidence would be brought on both sides and a judge should issue a decision. Whether or not that happens, if Hawaii can’t or won’t provide verification of the President’s birth certificate, I will not put his name on the ballot.

I can tell from the tone and language of your letters that the only acceptable outcome for you is that his name not be on the ballot, period. That may be what happens, but under my watch, it won’t happen based on opinions, petitions, probability or pledges to support or oppose me in the 2014 Governor’s race. My oath of office is to uphold the Constitution and laws of our State and country, and I’m going to do that by following the law. I look forward to continuing to work this issue under those parameters. Otherwise, I will respectfully agree to disagree.

Sincerely,

Ken Bennett

Secretary of State

The Tea Party has found its new Emperor for Life, we think.

***AND IF ANY OF YOU SUCKERS LIVE IN ARIZONA,EMAIL KEN BENNETT DEMANDING MITT ROMNEY'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE VERIFICATION TOO -- LONG, SHORT, VAULT, STICKER, FACSIMILE, TRIPLICATE, PARCHMENT, VELLUM -- ALL VERSIONS -- HIS OATH OF OFFICE COMPELS HIM TO DEAL WITH YOUR SHIT.

[ TPM ]