Posted on 09/03/2011 9:46:40 AM PDT by SvenMagnussen
The Federal Election Commission ruled Friday that a Guyana-born American citizen could file papers and raise money to run for president of the United States. But the agency also told the prospective candidate, Abdul Hassan, that his campaign may not receive federal matching funds because he was not born in America.
The FECs unanimous vote allows Hassan who born in the South American country in 1974 to be a candidate, solicit funds and requires him to file disclosure reports for a presidential bid. However, the agencys decision stopped short of addressing the constitutional issue of whether someone born outside the United States can be president.
(Excerpt) Read more at rollcall.com ...
Kind of like a legalized, Nigerian Bank Account scam.
Again?
So, wouldn't be the first time....
I was really hopping this was satire.
Nana-for-president PING
Fine, great, let's make an absurdity out of everything.
Nope. The states don't do it either. There is no legal procedure on the books anywhere for any candidate to prove they meet the Constitutional requirements. All they have to do is "swear" to it - or have someone else swear to it.
And what's sad is that even knowing he's ineligible, citizens cannot file suit to stop him because we don't have standing. We have to rely upon government officials to interpret the Constitution and make a decision.
The heck with the Constitution! Let anyone run for President...again! s/
From the article:
“But FEC commissioners said repeatedly that their decision to define Hassan as a candidate had nothing to do with his birth country. They said that current federal election law allows for someone to be a candidate, regardless of whether they can legally hold the office they seek and that the FEC is not charged with deciding presidential criteria including ones natural-born citizenship.
This does not mean that he can go and say look the FEC has said that I am a candidate, give me money, Im official, said Republican Commissioner Donald McGahn. That is not what we do here; we dont certify you as a candidate. Thats what the states do.
During Thursdays meeting, commissioners said they had trepidation about voting for Hassans candidacy because of how it might be perceived.
By saying that it is okay it does give the impression that we dont see a problem, said Democratic Commissioner Steven Walther. I think that we really need to be cognizant of how this could be misconstrued.
WHAT A SHAM!!!! Doesn’t the FEC know THAT”S ILLEGAL????
It’s sad.
The FEC just passed the buck.
Maybe this will actually put some laws on the books.
I can hope.
ENOUGH is ENOUGH!
Time to get some good strong rope, find small tall tress, and teach these faceless bureaucrats that the CONSTITUTION means what it says!
NO FOREIGN BORN person may run - period - end - STOP.
a sign of hope for Harrison Bounell!
Bounell-Biden 2012!
REASON #4 Why I Am A Birther ... it appears that it is NOBODY’S JOB to ensure a candidate meets the Constitutional Requirements of the Office. That is not acceptable.
Abdul Hassan
It's an interesting question, because the Founders didn't see the modern campaign in their time. So it doesn't say that a non eligible person can't declare they are running, it just says who is eligible to actually hold the office
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 PresidentThere have been plenty of satirical candidacies (first I recall was Pat Paulsen from The Smothers Brothers comedy show). The article quotes the FEC as saying they have no authority; any freeper lawyers actually look at the FEC's authorizing legislation to see if legal authority to screen out ineligibles exists?
This nut could not win, but if in any circumstance like this an ineligible person did win, I'd hope the Congress would refuse to certify, and the Chief Justice would refuse to swear him in. It's time for a national certifying body to prescreen using agreed upon standards.
Technically, it’s not illegal. That’s the problem.
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