Hawaii Gov. says it's now an insult to question Obama's birthplace
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Gov. Neil Abercrombie said it's an insult for anyone to continue to question if President Barrack Obama was born in Hawaii after the state issued his original Certificate of Live Birth Wednesday.
"President Obama's mother and father were dear friends of mine, and we must respect their memory," Abercrombie said. "It is an insult to the President, his parents and to the Office to suggest that he was not born in Hawaii. The State of Hawaii has done everything within our legal ability to disabuse these conspiracy theorists. We granted the President's request for certified copies of his birth certificate so we can all move on from this unfortunate distraction and focus on the real issues affecting people today.
"Considering all of the investigations that have been done and the information that has been provided, no rational person can question the President's citizenship. We have found a way - once again - to confirm what we already knew: the President was born here in Hawaii. State officials of both parties have verified that President Obama's birth records show that he was born in Honolulu.
The state Health Department provided Obama with two certified copies of his original Certificate of Live Birth, which is sometimes referred to as a "long form" birth certificate.
"We hope that issuing certified copies of the original Certificate of Live Birth to President Obama will end the numerous inquiries related to his birth in Hawaii," Health Director Loretta Fuddy said. "I have seen the original records filed at the Department of Health and attest to the authenticity of the certified copies the department provided to the President that further prove the fact that he was born in Hawaii."
On April 22, Obama sent a letter to Fuddy, requesting two certified copies of his original Certificate of Live Birth. Also on that day, Judith Corley, the President's personal attorney, made the same request in writing on behalf of the President.
On April 25, Fuddy personally witnessed the copying of the original Certificate of Live Birth and attested to the authenticity of the two copies. Dr. Alvin Onaka, the State Registrar, certified the copies.
That day, a representative of the President came to the Health Department building, paid the fee, and was given the two certified copies.
In June 2008, Obama released his Certification of Live Birth, which is sometimes referred to as a "short form" birth certificate. Both documents are legally sufficient evidence of birth in the State of Hawaii, and both provide the same fundamental information:
Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii at 7:24 p.m. on August 4, 1961, to mother Stanley Ann Dunham and father Barack Hussein Obama.
In 2001, the state Department of Health began computer-generating vital statistics records.
Since then, its longstanding policy and practice has been to issue and provide only the computer-generated Certifications of Live Birth, and to not produce photocopies of actual records to fulfill requests for certified copies of certificates.
Fuddy made an exception for President Obama by issuing copies of the original birth certificate.
"The exception made in this case to provide President Obama with a copy of his original Certificate of Live Birth was done according to the letter of the law," Hawaii Attorney General David Louie said. "Director Fuddy exercised her legal authority in a completely appropriate manner in this unique circumstance. We will continue to maintain the strict confidentiality requirements afforded to vital statistics records, such as birth certificates. These requirements help protect the integrity of the records, and keep us all safe from crimes, such as identity theft."
Letters from President Obama and Ms. Corley.
Click here to view the full birth certificate.
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