Gov. Bobby Jindal Says He’ll Sign ‘Birther’ Bill If It Reaches His Desk

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal will sign a bill requiring presidential candidates to provide a copy of their birth certificate before appearing on the state’s ballot–if it ever reaches his desk. “It’s not part of our package, but if the Legislature passes it we’ll sign it,” Jindal’s press secretary Kyle Plotkin told the Times-Picayune Monday. Plotkin added that the governor personally believes President Obama is a U.S. citizen.

According to the newspaper, Louisiana House Bill 561 was filed by two Republican lawmakers last week:

President Barack Obama’s citizenship has been challenged by some groups, derisively called “birthers,” despite numerous independent investigations finding that documents and contemporary news reports show that Obama was born in Hawaii.

Jindal’s announcement comes in contrast to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who vetoed a similar “birther” bill in her state, calling it “a bridge too far,” and saying she considered the measure–which would have called for candidates to provide long-form birth certificates–too intrusive.

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