Posted on 01/06/2016 6:23:39 AM PST by VinL
Donald Trump continued to fan the flames of doubt over Senator Ted Cruz's citizenship on Wednesday, suggesting that his Canadian roots might be a problem if he won the Republican presidential nomination.
"It's a problem for him, and it's a problem obviously for the Republicans," Mr. Trump said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. "Let's assume he got a nomination and the Democrats bring suit, the suit takes two to three years to solve, so how do you run?"
Mr. Trump addressed the issue in interviews on Tuesday and the concern comes less than a month before voters begin caucusing in Iowa, where Mr. Cruz is leading in the polls.
The Texas senator was born in Canada and his mother was a United States citizen. Under the Constitution this makes him a "natural born citizen" who is eligible to run for president, but some continue to debate the definition of the phrase "natural born." PolitiFact noted last year that while most experts have agreed that Mr. Cruz meets the constitutional criteria, the issue is not completely settled because the Supreme Court has never weighed in on such a citizenship challenge.
..Trump said that Mr. Cruz might want to consider taking the issue to court in a pre-emptive fashion to alleviate any questions about his citizenship.
This is not the first time that Mr. Trump has stirred controversy over a politician’s citizenship. He previously spearheaded the so-called birther movement to pressure President Obama to prove that he was actually born in the United States.
As for his motives this time, Mr. Trump said that he was hopeful that Mr. Cruz’s citizenship would not be a problem.
"I want to beat him on his own merits," Mr. Trump said. "I like Ted a lot. I'd love to see him get it straightened out."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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What a coward and a fraud. I've always respected this guy...never bashed him. Until this attack.
"oh, I really want to fight him... we'll go toe to toe...I'll beat the heck out of him... I can't wait....
Uh..uh..uh.. but first let's see if he passes the weigh-in."
Weak and pathetic. This is American's great champion? Hoping for a forfeit on a technicality. What a pansy.
Ted’s birth issue will go nowhere.
I’ve repeatedly said I’d support both of these guys enthusiastically, but this is pretty flaky of Donald.
Funny. The NY Times didn’t seem to can when the issue involved Obama.
Has The Donald ever shown the results of his research into Hussein’s background?
One day the activist federal court will meddle with eligibility unless reined in. The only question is — when and ‘on whom’?
The democrats are not going to give Cruz a pass on this. No way and no how. Trump is exactly right. If Cruz doesn't take this off the table he's going to see democrat leaders universally question his qualifications and bring suit. And sympathetic judges WILL rule against him. It will be the law of the land.
The dems won't see this as hypocritical at all. They will say Obama was born in Hawaii so it's different. This will be an issue and blaming Trump for it won't stop the Democrats from taking full advantage.
You are probably right when you said it will go nowhere. However, that nutcase Rep. Grayson (FL-D), has vowed to file a suit over it if Cruz is nominated, which will make it a news topic at least through the election.
That's how Obama kept getting elected in Illinois...disqualifying the opponents.
So often, Trump says something that's declared outrageous, and it's actually quite sane. It just might be that Trump sees this problem down the road, and wants to stop it from being an issue later on.
If you don’t see the lefties and their media toadies glomming on to that issue were Ted to prevail in the primaries then u should re-examine the issue.
Heheheheheh! I had to laugh out loud at this. Where in the Constitution does it give such a definition? On the other hand, actually looking at the intent of the founders, especially those posted by numerous Freepers yesterday, one is a natural born citizen by having two parents of American citizens, and born within the country.
Whoever thinks this issue has just been solved, by royal dictate, are fooling themselves.
I have said I would unceremoniously crotchkick any liberal that says Ted Cruz is not eligible because of citizenship
after the pass they gave the Kenyan.
‘Trump said that Mr. Cruz might want to consider taking the issue to court in a pre-emptive fashion to alleviate any questions about his citizenship.’
If that were proper, it would be entirely sensible. But as I understand it, a grievance can only be filed after-the-fact.
Cruz needs to lock in assurances outside of official court actions — letters of assurance that are not part of court protocol — that the federal courts will not be allowed to sabotage his eligibility. Not hypothetical opinions they already wrote either. They could squirm out of those, and Roberts is flaky as sin.
I always thought Cruz was not an NBC. But, who the hell cares if a Kenyon with fraudulent docs can be Potus. I don’t care where he was born or on what soil nobody cares.
I’ll ask your question back to you:
Where in the Constitution does it give such a definition?
“a natural born citizen by having two parents of American citizens, and born within the country”
If the only requirement for citizenship is recording their birth, they are a natural born citizen. Otherwise a naturalization process is required.
It’s a non-issue, but Trump does make a good point. If the rats file suit, with the MSM in tow, and add in friendly courts to support the suit, this could drag out for years.
I don’t think Trump is fanning the flames so much as bringing up what the rats will do.
Cruz's birth would be an issue, not because he would be technically ineligible, because honestly if that traitorous muslim African can be president Cruz sure can.
It's an issue, because some who were bothered by Obama’s birth issues will be bothered by Cruz's for similar reasons, and “some” of those will possibly choose to not vote for Cruz on principal. And in a close election, that could make the difference.
‘I have said I would unceremoniously crotchkick any liberal that says Ted Cruz is not eligible because of citizenship
after the pass they gave the Kenyan.’
If you make that threat in any serious way, you go to prison. I recall someone used a squirt gun on Danny Hastart when he was Speaker. Since he could have theoretically been President, the squirt gun guy was convicted of something-or-other.
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