Hawii's Statement on Obama Birth Record Breaks Law?
Jerome R. Corsi
 Dr. Chiyome Fukino |
Responding to the growing controversy over the White House's refusal to release President Obama's original long-form birth certificate, Hawaii's director of health issued a statement yesterday about the document in apparent contravention of Hawaiian law.
Dr. Chiyome Fukino declared she has seen the "original birth records" that verify Obama was born in Hawaii and is a "natural-born American citizen," the Honolulu Advertiser reported.
But in two separate telephone interviews with WND, Janice Okubo, the Health Department's public information officer, told WND that Hawaii law prohibited her from commenting on the birth records of any specific person.
Okubo cited Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 338-18, which pertains to "Disclosure of Records."
That section of Hawaii state law states regarding the release of vital statistics records, "The department shall not permit inspection of public health statistics records, or issue a certified copy of any such record or part thereof, unless it is satisfied that the applicant has a direct and tangible interest in the record."
WND asked Okubo last night how Fukino could comment on Obama's particular birth records without violating the statute.
"I'm not a legal authority, and you'd have to talk to someone who is a legal authority," Okubo said. "I don't have that kind of legal expertise."
In a previous interview, Okubo also refused to answer a direct question from WND about whether Obama's original long-form birth certificate still was on file with the Hawaii DOH, responding: "I cannot comment on any specific vital statistics records belonging to any individual because that is against the law in Hawaii."
Fukino appears to have violated state law twice.
Last October, she commented on Obama's birth certificate by issuing an official press release that stated she had "personally seen and verified that the Hawaii State Department of Health has Sen. Obama's original birth certificate on record in accordance with state policies and procedures."