When I saw reports bouncing around this morning that Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) had become a Swiss citizen, I thought it was some kind of joke with an odd punch line. As it turns out, it's legit.
The Minnesota congresswoman and former Republican presidential candidate was recently granted dual citizenship, Bachmann's office confirmed Tuesday night, according to CNN.
"Congresswoman Bachmann's husband is of Swiss descent so she has been eligible for dual-citizenship since they got married in 1978," spokeswoman Becky Rogness said in a statement. "However, recently some of their children wanted to exercise their eligibility for dual-citizenship so they went through the process as a family."
Here's video of the right-wing lawmaker, commenting on her eligibility to seek public office in the European country.
As a practical matter, this apparently won't have much of an impact on Bachmann's political career -- she will continue to seek re-election -- but it is a rather odd turn of events, not only for a member of Congress to maintain dual citizenship, but for this member of Congress to maintain dual citizenship.
Doug Mataconis noted, "Perhaps it has happened before, and I don't necessarily have a problem with it, but one has to wonder how Bachmann and her fellow Republicans would react if a Democrat did something like this."
I had the same thought. I can only imagine the breathless Fox News reports about the nefarious Democratic lawmaker who "wasn't satisfied with her American citizenship," so she picked up dual citizenship for her and her children from a "liberal European country" -- probably because of Switzerland's universal health care system and generous, anti-freedom welfare state.
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She only wanted to be closer to her supporter's money!
I wonder if she took her citizenship test and the oath in any of the Swiss national languages: German, French or Italian. Or in all 3 languages, perhaps? Mmmm, makes me wonder. I never heard her say she'd speak another language besides English.
Perhaps Michele is just laying the groundwork to become Mitt's Secretary of the Treasury.
Perhaps Michele wants to see if she could run for office in Switzerland, nah, the Swiss don't want her either. Hahahahaha
Zora, they are welcome to her.
Oh yes please take her Switzerland!
Swiss Miss instant cuckoo with a mini marshmallow brain.
So....her husband is gay AND Swiss?
Only half Swiss, or "Swissish."
What would happen if Obama got dual citizenship in Kenya?
(PS: If he wins re-election, I think it'd be funny as hell if he did it just to piss the wingnut idiots off.)
You cannot run for President if you have dual-citizenship. Obama is ineligible to take on another nationality as long as he remains in office.
The Swiss gov't and banking industry by treaty law have to turn over financial records on American citizens (given the appropriate paperwork). They DO NOT have to turn over anything on SWISS citizens. Presumably any financial chicanery by dual Swiss citizens would never get to the US.
Just sayin'
I figured it was something like that.
This however could cause her security clearance problems, as the state department indicates that obtaining dual citizenship to hide assets is a big no-no. She does sit on the House Intelligence Committee(don't get me started on the irony there!) so she my possibly run into some trouble. I cannot wait to see how this plays out. If I was the dem running against I would blast the fact she is now a citizen of a nation that has socialized health care and gay marriage!
Will Bachmann resign from the Intelligence Committee?
One really has to wonder how Michele Bachmann could ever have been on an intelligence committee to begin with. Don't you have to have some to be on it?
So many jokes...
Now we understand why many Swiss are xenophobic...
I suspected she was a Swiss usurper trying to destroy us with a steady diet of Hot Cocoa and cheese.
In one way, this makes perfect sense. After all, her arguments are as full of holes as Swiss cheese.
Schweiz ist das "Tea-Party" Land von Europa. Das passt sehr gut zur Frau "Sonderbar Augen" Bachmann.
Should a dual-citizen be writing US laws?
And what about her oath as a US Representative?
“I, (name of Member), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God” (5 U.S.C. §3331).
And these people are noted for upholding their oaths... to everything but the constitution. This stuff doesn't happen over night... she started this while running for President... not a word was spoken...
HEHEHEHE......not even Markus Bachmanns Swiss relatives like her.
An Aunt said:" If she could, she would vote for Obama:"
Can anyone well versed on dual citizenship comment on what this could mean for Bachmann's security clearance. The citation below indicates thinner ice for someone who actively sought non-US citizenship compared to one who has it by birth. And what if she seeks a Swiss passport:
http://www.clearancejobs.com/cleared-news/91/dual-citizenship-and-security-clearances
"In 1998 only 11 Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) cases involved dual citizenship. In 2008 it increased to 272 cases. This change occurred primarily because of the issuance of the “Money Memorandum” in August 2000 that stated:
"Guideline C does not specifically indicate that the mere existence of dual citizenship is a potentially disqualifying condition. It uses the words “exercise” and “acts,” indicating there must be conduct that demonstrates a preference for a foreign country. However, Guideline C lists mitigating conditions for dual citizenship unrelated to conduct, thereby implying that dual citizenship by itself is a potential security concern. Merely having dual citizenship will not automatically result in a security clearance denial, nor will simply renouncing foreign citizenship necessarily result in a security clearance approval. Generally people who acquired dual citizenship at birth and have done nothing to obtain recognition of the foreign citizenship will encounter little or no problem in obtaining a clearance unless there are other security issues in their case." etc
I must wonder about her Loyalty to the United States and the position of authority she occupies. Is his only a mere footnote because the country is friendly toward the US? What if a member of Congress were to have dual citizenship to Pakistan or Syria or Iran ? Would there be talk of disloyalty given the fact these countries are not as friendly toward the US? Could a member of Congress or the President be loyal to both countries and remain neutral while making decisions on trade or even War ?
Many people high-up in the US government have dual citizenship, most apparently with Israel. This was true in spades under W.
Arnold Schwarzenegger retained his Austrian citizenship when he was Governor of California.
However, I don't find any examples of Federal elected officials in a Google/Wikipedia search. Anybody know of one?
When Bachman's sons become citizens, they may be subject to the Swiss millitary draft! I wonder if they thought of that!
I'm sure the sons thought of that - they were not included in this family excursion. Also, Arnold did/does have dual citizenship but his case is quite different from Bachmann's; she was a US citizen first then chose to take out out Swiss citizenship. lastly, I'm not sure that sending a letter to the Swiss consulate is enough to give it up.
Even though I have lost a lot of confidence in my fellow countrymen in the last few years, I'd say that if she would ever run for office in Switzerland she wouldn't go far (just as she didn't go far in the US). But just to be sure: please keep her on your side of the pond!
I don't quite understand. When I became a citizen, I was told that while the U.K. recognized dual citizenship, the USA did not. From the U.S. perspective, I was no longer British. I was told I needed to turn in my British passport and get a U.S. one. Now she has done it the opposite way, but can you really have dual citizenship if you are a born citizen? And run for Federal office? And be on the intel committee. I had to have an extensive background check just to get Secret clearance, and I'm sure the Intel committee has a higher clearance level than that.
To Moira Guffey (Great name, incidentally!)
Different countries have different laws, which also change. In your case, I suggest you read the article at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationality_law#Automatic_loss_of_British_nationality
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationality_law#Automatic_loss_of_British_nationality
I'd expect that this is mostly a political factor and that as an Intel committee member Bachmann gets some clearances by virtue of her position. Still, it doesn't look good if there's an unanswered question on whether she's abiding by the same rules for clearance that cover civilians and military personnel.
Moira - see comment on page 2, I tried to post here but it came up there....
Great, she can be a public embarrassment for two countries now.
With enough holes in your head, with abundant gas emanations in air, what would it take to become an object of study by eminent Swiss psychiatrist for diagnostic psychosis? Apparently the health care over there is safer than here, and with enough resources we find out about how far that irritating sound travels. Who knows we could be blessed and see Swiss elect a new president. But what super-pac arranged this Swiss Citizenship and what of the old citizenship we want to revoke. Or is this just the results of intelligence committee work discovering the bankers are also Swiss?
I find it "interesting" that we require naturalized citizens to renounce all allegiances when they become citizens - but having a voting member of congress can hold dual citizenship? Likewise, from someone who stands against universal health-care, will she now get her free coverage in Switzerland? I say she should resign.
Maybe this is more for her husband than for her. If he truely is gay, then being able to go where he can "indulge" without embarrassing her would work nicely. She, now of dual citizenship, can pretend in the USA that she has a faithful husband to fly home too(Switzerland). Plus, she doesn't have to worry about supporting his @$$ for medical or living expenses. Rather ingenius!
What would it take to talk the swiss into letting her stay there forever..
MB: zero credibility, zero ability.
Wow... a Congresswoman while serving on the Intelligence Committee chooses to become a citizen of another country? WTF!?!?! I hope her clearance gets pulled so fast it makes her head spin.
WTF !!! and where is her loyalty ? Lets open this can of worms. . And security access ? Get all the S.heads out with Security access and dual Citizenship !