Hoekstra Says Agency Idea Is To Avert Future Birther Controversies

Former west Michigan Congressman Pete Hoekstra is defending his idea to have a federal agency check the qualifications of presidential candidates.

The candidate for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination has been slammed for re-igniting the debate over President Obama’s citizenship at a Tea Party meeting last month. Hoekstra says he was simply responding to a question about the president’s citizenship that he’s grown tired of answering.

"And the answer is, this is a crazy issue," Hoekstra says.  "Move forward and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Hoekstra was at a Senate candidate forum on Mackinac Island.

Hoekstra says a one or two-person team to check presidential candidates’ citizenship and residency would avert future controversies.