INDIANAPOLIS | Indiana may become the latest state to hop on the Donald Trump-led birther bandwagon.
State Sen. Sue Landske, R-Cedar Lake, has asked legislative leaders to assign a review of the qualifications of presidential candidates to a General Assembly study committee she will preside over this summer.
Trump, who is considering a presidential run, and others have questioned whether President Barack Obama meets the requirement of natural born citizenship necessary to be president. They contend Obama's certificate of live birth issued by the state of Hawaii, showing he was born there, is inadequate.
"It's an interesting issue. People do have questions, and I think we need to clarify the issue and try to put some of those questions to rest," Landske said.
Senate Bill 114, sponsored by state Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, would have required presidential candidates to submit their birth certificates to Indiana election officials to qualify for the ballot. That proposal did not get a hearing this session.
A similar measure in Arizona was vetoed this week by Republican Gov. Jan Brewer.
Delph said he hopes a study committee review of the topic will lead to legislation in 2012.
"It just seems to me that if we're going to require strict identification for a driver's license, surely we can take a look at the requirements for those that seek to be president of the United States," Delph said.
State Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, said the claim that the president isn't an American is "a ridiculous assertion" and said Republicans shouldn't be led astray by Trump's own presidential ambitions.
"He couldn't make a success out of a riverboat casino in Gary. Can we trust him to run the entire country?" Rogers asked.
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