The release said in part, “Abercrombie said Governor Lingle questioned whether President Obama was born in Hawaii and Schatz said she was the only governor in America who didn’t attend the 2009 National Governor’s Association (NGA) meeting and dinner in the White House after President Obama was elected.”

“Both of these statements are completely false,” said Lee. “This is the kind of smear campaign we expected the other side would use to distract the public from the serious issues facing our state and nation, but we didn’t expect the state’s two highest elected officials would throw mud so early, especially when it’s so easy to prove their statements are false and that they were purposely misleading the public.”

—Chad Blair