Fla. GOP congressman sides with 'birthers'

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WASHINGTON, March 20 (UPI) -- A Republican congressman from Florida said Tuesday he is not convinced President Barack Obama's birth certificate is legitimate.

"I am, shall we say, looking at all the evidence," said Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla.

Although there is overwhelming evidence the Democratic president was born in Hawaii, members of the so-called "birther" movement have continued to dispute Obama's nationality, The Hill reported.

The White House released Obama's birth certificate in April 2011 in hopes it would quell birthers, but they have repeatedly brought the issue back up.

Most recently, Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio said this month he had evidence the document was a fake.

"I think we are just going to hold in abeyance a final decision until we hear, you know, some of these people seem to have legitimate concerns, so I don't think it is unreasonable just to see what they have to say," Stearns said.