FEC Ignores Constitution, Rules Naturalized Citizen Is Eligible To Run For President Of The United States

Washington Reinterprets Constitutional Eligibility – WorldNetDaily

A Guyana-born naturalized American citizen fits the Federal Elections Commission’s requirements to run for president, the FEC announced in a ruling.

The case involves New York lawyer Abdul Hassan, who was born in the South American country in 1974. Hassan argues it is discriminatory to not allow him to run for office.

Responding to criticism of possible dual-loyalty issues, Hassan said in a radio interview that a person’s place of birth should not determine his patriotism or presidential eligibility.

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“I am an attorney,” he said. “When I undertake the representation of a client, I have to act in the best interests of my client,” Hassan stated on “Aaron Klein Investigative Radio” on New York’s WABC Radio.

Continued Hassan: “If I represent someone in my community … and I undertake your representation, I owe you 100 percent loyalty and my duty is solely to protect and to advance your interests.”

“It would be no different if I were to be president of the United States,” he contended. “If I believe that I cannot act in the best interests, I wouldn’t be doing this.”

Petitioned further by Klein about the Constitution’s concerns regarding those born overseas, Hassan argued many U.S. citizens have loyalty issues, as well.

“Look at all these fellows, these FBI agents, natural born Americans, who were spying for Russia,” he said.

“You have to judge each individual based on his own merits,” he added.

Click here to listen to Klein’s full interview with Hassan.

Hassan, meanwhile, petitioned the FEC to allow him to run for president, arguing the Federal Election Campaign Act does not bar naturalized citizens from running.

In its official response earlier this month, the FEC agreed with Hassan’s logic.

The FEC’s ruling, which did not receive any news media attention, concluded that a naturalized citizen is not prohibited by the Federal Election Campaign Act from becoming a “candidate” as defined under the act.

However, a naturalized citizen is not eligible to receive federal matching funds under the FEC’s Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act.

Stated the FEC ruling: “In regard to the definition of ‘person,’ the act defines that term as including ‘an individual, partnership, committee, association, corporation, labor organization, or any other organization or group of persons,’ excluding the federal government. There is no reference to natural born or naturalized citizens. As an individual, Mr. Hassan is a ‘person’ under the Act.”

While the FEC’s own rules now allow Hassan to run for high office, the attorney must still clear judicial hurdles before his eligibility could become official.

At issue is the constitutional stipulation that only a “natural born” citizen can be for president.

Article 2, Section 1, Clause 5 of the U.S. Constitution stipulates presidential eligibility, requiring the nation’s elected chief to be a “natural born citizen.”

The clause states: “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 President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.”

The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution specifically defines “citizen” but not “natural born citizen.”

A “citizen” is defined as: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are Citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

However, no definition of “natural born citizen” – which is only used in the presidential requirement clause – was provided anywhere in the Constitution, and to this day the precise meaning of the term is still being debated.

In his legal argument, Hassan contended the constitutional eligibility clause discriminates against naturalized citizens.

He cites Supreme Court rulings that interpret the Constitution as providing “equal protection” to naturalized citizens. Other rulings cited by Hassan guarantee against the discrimination of naturalized citizens.

“The natural born requirement, that was adapted in the 1780s at a time when slavery was also a part of the constitution,” Hassan told Klein.

Hassan added the eligibility requirement should be reinterpreted in a way that would allow naturalized citizens to run for president.

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