Another newspaper reports that President Obama was born in Hawaii – and, for skeptics, it cites unidentified "documents" that can prove it.

In a story WND first reported July 11, the Ledger-Enquirer in Columbus, Ga., published the account of an Army Reserve officer who claims he should not have to obey deployment orders to Afghanistan, because Obama has not provided proof of his eligibility for office.

In an earlier version of the story, the daily newspaper published by McClatchy followed Maj. Stefan Frederick Cook's eligibility concerns with a statement claiming the president was born in Hawaii.

"Actually, Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961, two years after it became a state," it stated, unequivocally.

A screenshot of the original story follows, with the birth statement outlined in red:

Ledger-Enquirer publishes statement about alleged Obama birth in Hawaii

But within hours, the statement was bumped down the article. A screenshot of the new version shows that the story now states, "Documents show Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961, two years after it became a state."

Ledger-Enquirer adjusts report, citing unidentified 'documents' as evidence for birth claim

The article was featured on the Drudge Report. The Ledger-Enquirer did not respond to WND's questions about the alleged "documents" it cites.

The report also failed to identify the plaintiff's well-known attorney, Orly Taitz, as female. Instead, the story indicated Maj. Cook was "his" client.

As WND reported, Maj. Cook is scheduled to have a hearing on the matter July 16 at 9:30 a.m., according to Taitz, who is handling the claim.

Cook told WND he's ready, willing and able to carry out the military needs of the United States, but he raised the challenge to Obama's eligibility to be president because if he would be captured by enemy forces while serving overseas under the orders of an illegitimate president, he could be considered a "war criminal."

"As an officer in the armed forces of the United States, it is [my] duty to gain clarification on any order we may believe illegal. With that said, if President Obama is found not to be a 'natural-born citizen,' he is not eligible to be commander-in-chief," he told WND hours after the case was filed.

"[Then] any order coming out of the presidency or his chain of command is illegal. Should I deploy, I would essentially be following an illegal [order]. If I happened to be captured by the enemy in a foreign land, I would not be privy to the Geneva Convention protections," he said.

(Story continues below)

The order for the hearing in the federal court for the Middle District of Georgia from U.S. District Judge Clay D. Land said the hearing on the request for a temporary restraining order will be held Thursday.

Cook told WND he is prepared for a backlash against him as a military officer, since members of the military swear to uphold and follow their orders. However, he noted that following an illegal order would be just as bad as failing to follow a legal order.

"What I want to do is deploy to Afghanistan, do my job as an Army officer, engineer. I do not want to subject myself to the possibility that I might be violating the [Uniform Code of Military Justice]," he said.

Named as defendants in the case are Col. Wanda Good, Col. Thomas Macdonald, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Obama, described as "de facto president of the United States."

The question over Obama's eligibility now also is being raised on billboards nationwide.

"Where's The Birth Certificate?" billboard in Pennsylvania

The billboard campaign follows an ongoing petition campaign launched several months ago by WND Editor and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Farah.

The billboards are intended to raise public awareness of the fact that Obama has never released the standard "long-form" birth certificate that would show which hospital he was born in, the attending physician and establish that he truly was born in Hawaii, as his autobiography maintains.

Send a contribution to support the national billboard campaign that asks a simple question: "Where's the birth certificate?"

WND has reported on dozens of legal challenges to Obama's status as a "natural born citizen." The Constitution, Article 2, Section 1, 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."

Some of the lawsuits question whether he was actually born in Hawaii, as he insists. If he was born out of the country, Obama's American mother, the suits contend, was too young at the time of his birth to confer American citizenship to her son under the law at the time.

Other challenges have focused on Obama's citizenship through his father, a Kenyan subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom at the time of his birth, thus making him a dual citizen. The cases contend the framers of the Constitution excluded dual citizens from qualifying as natural born.

Complicating the situation is Obama's decision to spend sums estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to avoid releasing a state birth certificate that would put to rest all of the questions.

The "Certification of Live Birth" posted online and widely touted as "Obama's birth certificate" does not in any way prove he was born in Hawaii, since the same "short-form" document is easily obtainable for children not born in Hawaii. The true "long-form" birth certificate – which includes information such as the name of the birth hospital and attending physician – is the only document that can prove Obama was born in Hawaii, but to date he has not permitted its release for public or press scrutiny.

Oddly, though congressional hearings were held to determine whether Sen. John McCain was constitutionally eligible to be president as a "natural born citizen," no controlling legal authority ever sought to verify Obama's claim to a Hawaiian birth.

Although Obama officials have told WND all such allegations are "garbage," here is a partial listing and status update for some of the cases over Obama's eligibility:

• New Jersey attorney Mario Apuzzo has filed a case on behalf of Charles Kerchner and others alleging Congress didn't properly ascertain that Obama is qualified to hold the office of president.


• Pennsylvania Democrat Philip Berg has three cases pending, including Berg vs. Obama in the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a separate Berg vs. Obama case alleging he wasn't qualified even to be U.S. senator and Hollister vs. Soetoro a/k/a Obama, (now dismissed) brought on behalf of a retired military member who could be facing recall to active duty by Obama.
  
  
• Leo Donofrio of New Jersey filed a lawsuit claiming Obama's dual citizenship disqualified him from serving as president. His case was considered in conference by the U.S. Supreme Court but denied a full hearing.


• Cort Wrotnowski filed suit against Connecticut's secretary of state, making a similar argument to Donofrio. His case was considered in conference by the U.S. Supreme Court, but was denied a full hearing.


• Former presidential candidate Alan Keyes headlines a list of people filing a suit in California, in a case handled by the United States Justice Foundation, that asks the secretary of state to refuse to allow the state's 55 Electoral College votes to be cast in the 2008 presidential election until Obama verifies his eligibility to hold the office. The case is pending, and lawyers are seeking the public's support.


• Chicago lawyer Andy Martin sought legal action requiring Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle to release Obama's vital statistics record. The case was dismissed by Hawaii Circuit Court Judge Bert Ayabe.
  
  
• Lt. Col. Donald Sullivan sought a temporary restraining order to stop the Electoral College vote in North Carolina until Barack Obama's eligibility could be confirmed, alleging doubt about Obama's citizenship. His case was denied.
  
  
• In Ohio, David M. Neal sued to force the secretary of state to request documents from the Federal Elections Commission, the Democratic National Committee, the Ohio Democratic Party and Obama to show the presidential candidate was born in Hawaii. The case was denied.
  
  
• Also in Ohio, there was the Greenberg v. Brunner case which ended when the judge threatened to assess all case costs against the plaintiff.
  
  
• In Washington state, Steven Marquis sued the secretary of state seeking a determination on Obama's citizenship. The case was denied.
  
  
• In Georgia, Rev. Tom Terry asked the state Supreme Court to authenticate Obama's birth certificate. His request for an injunction against Georgia's secretary of state was denied by Georgia Superior Court Judge Jerry W. Baxter.


• California attorney Orly Taitz has brought a case, Lightfoot vs. Bowen, on behalf of Gail Lightfoot, the vice presidential candidate on the ballot with Ron Paul, four electors and two registered voters. She also has brought forward several other cases and has conducted several public campaigns to generate awareness of the issue.
  

• In Texas, Darrel Hunter vs. Obama later was dismissed.
  
  
• In Ohio, Gordon Stamper vs. U.S. later was dismissed.
  
  
• In Texas, Brockhausen vs. Andrade.
  
  
• In Washington, L. Charles Cohen vs. Obama.
  
  
• In Hawaii, Keyes vs. Lingle, dismissed.

In addition, other cases cited on the RightSideofLife blog as raising questions about Obama's eligibility include:

• In Texas, Darrel Hunter vs. Obama later was dismissed.
  
  
• In Ohio, Gordon Stamper vs. U.S. later was dismissed.
  
  
• In Texas, Brockhausen vs. Andrade.
  
  
• In Washington, L. Charles Cohen vs. Obama.
  

WND has reported that among the documentation not yet available for Obama includes his kindergarten records, his Punahou school records, his Occidental College records, his Columbia University records, his Columbia thesis, his Harvard Law School records, his Harvard Law Review articles, his scholarly articles from the University of Chicago, his passport, his medical records, his files from his years as an Illinois state senator, his Illinois State Bar Association records, any baptism records, and his adoption records.

Your donation – from as little as $5 to as much as $1,000 – can be made online at the WND SuperStore. (Donations are not tax-deductible. Donations of amounts greater than $1,000 can be arranged by calling either 541-474-1776 or 1-800-4WND.COM. If you would prefer to mail in your contributions, they should be directed to WND, P.O. Box 1627, Medford, Oregon, 97501. Be sure to specify the purpose of the donation by writing "billboard" on the check. In addition, donations of billboard space will be accepted, as will significant contributions specifically targeted for geographic locations.)

Related offers:

Send a contribution to support the national billboard campaign that asks the simple question, "Where's the birth certificate?"

Get your yard signs and rally signs that ask the same question – and make sure it's in time for Independence Day tea party rallies.

Get your permanent, detachable magnetic bumper stickers for your car, truck or file cabinet – and join the campaign for constitutional integrity.

Get the most comprehensive special report ever produced on the Obama eligibility issue.

Previous stories:

Soldier won't serve without proof Obama eligible

Eligibility claims attracting high-level interest

Lawyer notifying president of lawsuit

Lawyer notifying president of lawsuit

Hearing set on default in Obama eligibility case

Meet fierce blonde behind Obama eligibility lawsuits

Senator calls for vetting of candidates' eligibility

Posey: Eligibility document plan not personal

Support rising for eligibility verification demand

Gibbs gets 2nd shot at eligibility question

2nd congressman: Prove eligibility

Americans vote with wallets to see Obama birth certificate

Birth certificate billboard mania continues

U.S. bonkers for Obama birth certificate billboard

THE FULL STORY: See listing of more than 200 exclusive WND reports on the eligibility issue

Obama flack laughs off birth certificate question

Start your own eligibility billboard campaign

Appeal promised in eligibility lawsuit

Obama: Where have all his records gone?

Grass roots sign on to eligibility billboard campaign

Trifecta: 3rd media outfit bans Obama eligibility ads

Businessman boots Lamar over eligibility issue

2nd major billboard company rejects eligibility campaign

Obama's 'birth certificate' not acceptable in Hawaii

Eligibility billboards dubbed 'misleading'

All topics open to discuss – except Obama eligibility

'Birthers' take eligibility to next level

Cover-up: CBS bans eligibility billboards

White House dialogue site scrubbed of eligibility posts

Eligibility explodes on White House 'dialogue' site

Surprise for Obama on White House 'dialogue' website

If that's a birth certificate, I'll …

Obama mouthpiece laughs off birth certificate request

Americans vote with wallets to see Obama birth certificate

Birth certificate billboard mania continues

U.S. bonkers for Obama birth certificate billboard