Rep. Steve King, Raising Questions of Favoritism, Calls for Obama's Aunt to Testify About Being Granted Asylum

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Domestic Issues ,; Congress

President Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango, on Nov. 24, 2009.

(Credit: AP)

Congressman Steve King, an Iowa Republican, today requested that President Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango, testify before the House Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law in order to address "the public perception that favoritism played a role in the grant of asylum to Ms. Onyango."

In a letter to the chair of the subcommittee, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, King writes that "[i]n order to better determine whether favoritism played a role - especially because Ms. Onyango had been earlier turned down for asylum and ordered deported in 2004 before her nephew became president - the Subcommittee needs to hear from Ms. Onyango herself."

"While I understand that asylum proceedings are generally confidential, Margaret Wong, Ms. Onyango's attorney, has clearly courted press attention regarding this matter," he continues. "In fact, I assume that the press learned that Ms. Onyango received asylum because of comments to the media made by Ms. Wong. Therefore, Ms. Onyango has made herself a public figure and should have no hesitation about appearing before the Subcommittee. Further, in order to facilitate Ms. Onyango's appearance before the Subcommittee, I request that you and Chairman Conyers authorize the Committee to reimburse her travel expenses."

Onyango was granted asylum last month; the half-sister of Mr. Obama's late father, she moved from Kenya to the United States in 2000.

Her 2002 application for asylum, which was tied to violence in Kenya, was rejected two years after she filed it. Despite that result, Onyango continued living in public housing in Boston.

When it was reported in 2008 that Onyango was possibly in the country illegally, Mr. Obama said he had no knowledge of her status. She testified on her own behalf in U.S. Immigration Court in Boston before being granted asylum this year.

The subcommittee hearing is set to take place Thursday morning.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by my38view June 16, 2010 3:48 PM EDT: The petty, nasty right wingers at it again. Another flim flam excuse to cost tax payers millions while they try to bring down a presidency. Poor losers, but typical of politics as usual in this country. I did'nt vote for Obama, but I have to admit, I like much of what he has done. Yes, he blatantly lies, so there is no full reprieve with his politics as usual policy. As far as Aunty living on the dole, typical of over 20,000,00 other illegals I can think of, and a slopy government. If they spent all the money going on this witch hunt for ICE agents, situations like this won't be bogging down our economy and social services.; Reply to this comment


by govmess June 16, 2010 2:55 PM EDT: Americans need answers to these questions, period....has nothing to do with whose aunt she is....this kind of fraud against the American government is costing we the taxpayers too much money.; Reply to this comment


by ToolMangler1 June 16, 2010 2:23 PM EDT: by wvason June 16, 2010 11:13 AM EDT
"The idiots are the ones that put this unqualified, inexperienced, egotistical, narcissistic,lying black man in office."

You you are named an 'Expert' on who should and who should not be President by what 'power'????
No first term president can claim "presidential' experience until the 'end' of his term. What "qualifies" one to be President?????
Spell it out or SHUT your yap....; Reply to this comment

by 010sonny June 16, 2010 1:33 PM EDT

Well,well again this emulates the mentality of priorities in a republican style formate.No wonder they keep bungling things up.

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by jgg000101 June 16, 2010 1:54 PM EDT: it's not just republicans. I think taxpayers want to know how someone who was in this country illegally and was ordered to be "deported" was able to get public assistance, live rent-free for 8 years, and have major surgery on the taxpayer's dime.

by apprxam June 16, 2010 12:21 PM EDT

Wonder why Rep. King didn't subpoena the Bin Ladens, the American-Right's favorite tourist, shoppers and college students after they high-tailed, air traffic free, the United States after 9/11.

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by jgg000101 June 16, 2010 1:48 PM EDT: maybe because there are over 800 members of the bin laden family and they own the largest construction firm in saudi arabia? or maybe because immediately after 9/11 nobody knew who was responsible?


by Cuda-Driver June 16, 2010 11:52 AM EDT: by Empire-George_ June 16, 2010 10:57 AM EDT

His mother was white, how did he become black ? I guess the equal black portion thugged his white portion out. So, when we notice criminality or wrongdoing, we should just "move on people" and ignore it, right ?
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Growing up he was considered black and so he considered himself black. He is considered to be black by whites even more than blacks. It is considered by whites that 1 drop of black blood makes you black. But he is biracial. His father is mostly Arab. In fact the only black blood his father has is a great grandparent, on his mother's side. Thats Obama's great-great grandparent. That makes Obama 1/2 Caucasian, 7/16th Arab and a mere 1/16 black. Who cares his race is human.

For one thing their has been no link that Obama helped his aunt getting any favoritism. Even if he did it is not against the law to help a family member. People with connections and money do it all the time. No one would give a damn if it was anyone else besides Obama's aunt.

With all the problems, two wars, oil spill, bad economy, etc. The right wing nut jobs, teabaggers and birthers have nothing better to do except grasp at straws.

Maybe you fools can go back to Obama's a socialist, Marxist, Muslim, Kenyan, etc. bull. Oh ya that didn't work either. Maybe you can find something else. Good luck with that??; Reply to this comment

by jgg000101 June 16, 2010 10:57 AM EDT

how does someone who is in the country illegally and has been ordered to leave live rent free for 8 years on the taxpayer dime and get free hip replacement surgery? I'd like to know how to do that.
It's a sweet deal.

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by ToolMangler1 June 16, 2010 2:15 PM EDT: Listen,, There are twenty million illegal people in America and "YOU" want to jump on The president because his aunt applies for and is granted asylum???? If it was your relative "YOU" would have yelled your head off about racism if she wasn't granted the same dispensation. When you do something about the rest of the 20 Mil then you have a right to fuss about one old woman (Who would have been seized and held for "RANSOM" by any number of people because she is related to the most powerful man on earth at this time). Are you really that big of a 'jerk'?????

by enriquecaliente June 16, 2010 10:37 AM EDT

Geez, When are these idiots going to get over it. He's Black and he WON the election and the right to be in the WHITE HOUSE. MOVE ON PEOPLE.

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by wvason June 16, 2010 11:13 AM EDT: The idiots are the ones that put this unqualified, inexperienced, egotistical, narcissistic,lying black man in office.


by Cuda-Driver June 16, 2010 11:33 AM EDT: wvason...Idiot teabaggers like you think Sarah Palin is qualified and experienced. Your KKK hood is showing.


by Vet_Turner June 16, 2010 10:32 AM EDT: Do you really think Obama or his staff called someone and said, look, make it happen, Do you really believes that? Come on. What a load.

Is anyone else tired of this the repub crap? Obama has pretty much done what he said he would do. Increased troops with limitations in Afghanistan. Passed private style health care package (the same one the repubs proposed in 1996), has been reducing troops in Iraq, has put hte best people in the jobs he can find, has spoken honestly about energy and where the country needs to go...and after all that, all the repubs can do is scream and call him a lier, a fake, an empty shirt, a socialist and some not even a US Citizen. My god. There is no civility left.

And if you want to call out how the left treated Bush, let's look at that. Bush had a 91% approval rating for a little while. He then invaded Iraq under not only false pretensces but then told the generals that he would invande with about 1/3 of the troops he requested - remember, that's why Shelenseki resigned as Chair of the Joint Chiefs - he knew it was going to be a disaster and tried to make the point. Bush invaded and couldn't hold the ground and disaster. Then is approval ratings dropped and then the rest of the country learned the truth about the war - it was all fake - an "honarable lie" put forth on the country. So don't compare what Obama has done to what Bush did.; Reply to this comment


by NowBeWithThat June 16, 2010 10:28 AM EDT: That's sheer nonsense. Pres. Obama moonwalked away from auntie and didn't lift a finger to help her get asylum - mostly cause auntie publicly stated she's a big fan of former Pres. George W. Bush, whose policies allowed her to remain in this country.

Steve King is a racist mudslinging hater who's banking on public displeasure with Pres. Obama's handling of the Gulf Oil disaster to fuel his smear campaign.; Reply to this comment