Ted Cruz, facing suits on Canadian birth, lawyers up

http://www.mcclatchydc.com ^ | March 1, 2016 | MARIA RECIO

[NKP_Vet]

WASHINGTON Ted Cruz, tagged as "Canadian" by a needling Donald Trump since the GOP race tightened in January, rejects any idea of being ineligible to be U.S. president.

While Trump hasn't followed up on his threat to sue Calgary-born Cruz over what he says is the Texas senator not meeting the constitutional requirement of being a "natural-born citizen," plenty of other people have. Trump has warned that Democrats will disrupt the electoral process by suing if Cruz is the nominee.

And that's caused Cruz a bit of trouble. He has had to lawyer up to fight the more than half-dozen lawsuits around the country, some in federal court, some in state court. A Cook County, Ill., judge tossed one of the suits Tuesday, not over the citizenship issue but over a technicality of how the papers were served.

[Yosemitest]

Let me ask you DIRECTLY.

Since's Donald "EMINENT DOMAIN FOR PRIVATE USE" Trump's mother Mary was born in Scotland,
DO YOU BELIEVE that Trump is NOT a "Natural Born Citizen" ?

And "if not", then "WHY"

[GBA]

Was Mary, Donald Trump’s mother, an American citizen when Trump was born?

[GBA]

Was Mary, Donald Trump’s mother, an American citizen when Trump was born?

[Jim W N]

IMO, Cruz should have long since sought to have his NBC eligibility status decided in federal court. There is a genuine dispute of a material legal/Constitutional issue here.

The way to interpret the Constitution is as written and originally understood and intended. One one hand, there’s evidence that early understanding of an NBC could include someone born on non-American soil under certain circumstances. On the other hand it’s hard to see how a former citizen of Canada could be now called a natural born citizen of the United States. This thing needs to be resolved in a federal court if Cruz has any chance at all of getting the nomination.

[Jim W N]

That’s right, and Cruz should have sought to put this thing to bed in federal court a long time ago. His resistance to doing so makes me seriously question his priorities about his own political prospects versus America’s future.

[PJBankard]

+1
I love Mel Brooks movies.

[MarDav]

Have you ever seen “The 12 Chairs”? One of his earliest. Dom DeLuise and Frank Langella are two street hustlers during the time of the Russian Revolution in search of the Tsar’s jewels which have been sewn into the upholstery of some dining room chairs. It is classic Mel Brooks.

[PJBankard]

Sadly, no I haven’t, that is one of three I haven’t seen. I’ll have to look for it.

[RitaOK]

Naturally it creeps up.

The question at issue will continue to ebb and flow, exponentially, as the odds decrease or increase toward the nomination.

The Democrats will give no delay in testing the question, if Cruz appeared to win.

Also, there are legal scholars who are interested in this issue on NBC, and find that the law has changed in meaning, over time, and is considered unsettled law in some circles, even today.

During a campaign is no time to settle the argument. But, neither is it any time to perhaps, perhaps, have two presidents in a row, neither who turn out to be natural born citizens. Just sayin’.

[CivilWarBrewing]

I'm waiting to hear the highly damning words by Trump on that 'off the record' tape with the NY Times.

CORNELIUS: "Ahhhhhhhh.. Thp thp thp.. NOTHIN'!!!!"

[TXSearcher]

There is no way in hell anyone born in a foreign country to an American parent is automatically eligible to be the US president. It’s the height of lunacy. It works for children of the US Armed Forces stationed in that country, born on a US base, and for those born to American parents who are serving in a US state department capacity. No one else.

In the Constitution, a “natural born Citizen” means a citizen from birth with no need to go through naturalization proceedings.

The Supreme Court has long recognized two sources: British common law and enactments of the First Congress for understanding constitutional terms. Both confirm that the original meaning of the phrase “natural born Citizen” includes persons born abroad who are citizens from birth based on the citizenship of a parent.

If you don't like that Cruz is legal.......then start raising hell with your favorite Congress critter to change the law as it exists today.......otherwise you just sound like a patsy for Trump. (BTW, didn't you notice that Trump NEVER filed his often threatened law suit against Cruz because he knows he doesn't have a legal leg to stand on?)

[keykitten]

Not to worry. Cruz was actually born in Kenya

[JerseyDvl]

Same here! Many laughs no matter how many times I’ve seen each movie.

[HWGruene]

Ted Cruz. “I was born near the USA!” There was a song similar to it of “I was born IN the USA!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZD4ezDbbu4

[khelus]

Re: “If any judge Cruz goes in front of will try following the Constitution Ted Cruz will not be eligible to serve as president. The requirement is a natural-born citizen, which Cruz is not. He is a naturalized citizen and that’s why his records are sealed.”

Amazing how the red flag of sealed records doesn’t register with the same people who question Obama’s sealed records.

[ResisTyr]

...and Canadian law prohibited dual citizenship at the time Cruz was born in 1970. So he was, in fact, never a US Citizen until MAYBE two years ago.

[jennings2004]

amazing...

[jennings2004]

amazing...

[higgmeister]

First, "Thomas Jefferson, A Bill Declaring Who Shall Be Deemed Citizens of This Commonwealth" was referring to citizenship of the Commonwealth of Virginia, not United States citizenship. Second, there is a huge difference between citizenship and the Natural Born Citizenship required to be President. All this bill addressed was, as I already pointed out, citizenship of the Commonwealth of Virginia. You will note that it in no way mentioned Natural Born Citizenship. Jefferson only wrote of natural rights:

And in order to preserve to the citizens of this commonwealth, that natural right, which all men have of relinquishing the country, in which birth, or other accident may have thrown them,

And here:

such person shall be considered as having exercised his natural right of EXPATRIATING himself, and shall be deemed NO CITIZEN of this commonwealth from the time of his departure.

You were the only one that mentioned Natural Born Citizen, Jefferson did not.

Thomas Jefferson is by far my most favorite President, although I am currently reading "The Life of George Washington: (5 volumes) 1855–1859, written by Washington Irving. I lived in Virginia from the seventh through twelfth grade and was totally immersed in Virginia History. Waynesboro is across the mountain from Charlottesville and I visited Monticello several times. I am subscribed to Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc. at Monticello to keep track of ongoing developments and historical updates.

My direct Great⁴ Grandfather's nephew owned land adjoining Monticello, was friends with and did business with Jefferson.

I am not sure that you understand that Article II, Section 1, clause five, holds a Presidential candidate to a higher standard than mere citizenship. There is no doubt that Ted Cruz is an American Citizen. He simply was not born on American soil or with any other distinction that will allow him to be President. No large fonts or upper cap screed will change that fact.

Now take five deep breaths and realize that it is OK for you to be wrong once in your life. It has happened to me before many times.

[AmericanVictory]

Where are yours? Nothing you have posted has anything to do with the intent of the Article II requirement. You refuse to face the fact that Article I has nothing to do with it.