Missouri lawmakers attempt to check federal government on presidential citizenship

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10/22/2008: Newspaper Story - Secretary of State candidate Mitch Hubbard

Intro:	The Missouri House Elections Committee heard a Republican-sponsored bill Tuesday that would allow Missouri to require proof of President Obama's citizenship before being placed on the ballot.
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Wrap: Former defeated Secretary of State candidate Mitch Hubbard says Missouri should check the federal government and enforce proof of citizenship for all Presidential candidates.

Hubbard says the President's birth place of Hawaii did not issue proper birth cirtificates at the time he was born.

Actuality:	HUBBARD.WAV
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Description: "Hawaii, during the years our president was born, issued short-form birth certificates to people who were born in Hawaii...but because it had just recently become a state, they also issued short-form birth certificates to people who were not born in Hawaii, but who were living there as children at the time."

A St. Genevieve representative says federal law under the Constitution already prevents unqualified candidates from running for office.

Others question what would happen if Missouri were to take a candidate off the ballot that the other 49 states did not.

From the Missouri State Capitol, I'm Meghann Mollerus.

Intro:	A bill heard in the House Elections Committee tuesday could make Missouri the first state to knock President Obama off of the ballot if he cannot prove his citizenship.
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Wrap: The bill would require all presidential candidates, including Obama, to prove their citizenship to Missouri's Secretary of State.

St. Genevieve Democratic Representative Joe Fallert says this is unnecessary, as federal law under the Constitution already prevents unqualified citizens from running for President.

Actuality:	FALLERT.WAV
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Description: "If federal law would say you have to be a citizen of the U.S. to do this, why do we have to double check...I'm just curious, because it's like we're a solution looking for problem because federal law would preempt this already."

In response to Fallert, bill sponsor and Republican Cedarcreek Representative Lyle Rowland says on the federal level, there is no one checking constitutional qualifications of the president.

From the Missouri State Capitol, I'm Meghann Mollerus.

Intro:	The Missouri Elections Committee heard a bill Tuesday that would make President Obama prove his citizenship before being put on the ballot in the next general election.
RunTime:	0:48
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Under the bill, President Obama and other Presidential candidates would have to submit proof of citizenship to the Missouri Secretary of State.

Naturalized U.S. citizen Hector Maldonado says U.S. presidential candidates need to be checked for citizenship, like he was during his U.S. Senate campaign last year.

Actuality:	MALDON.WAV
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Description: "This next coming election, if I choose to do so, I can run for U.S. President, and no one's going to stop me until I actually hold office...but by then, it's too late."

In response to Maldonado, a St. Genevieve Democratic representative says federal law and the Constitution already prevent unqualified candidates from running for President, and thus Missouri does not need to double check.

From the Missouri State Capitol, I'm Meghann Mollerus.