Arizona Republican Party Chairman Tom Morrissey resigned Wednesday, two days after he ignited controversy by questioning whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States.
The chairman raised the conspiracy theory that Obama is not eligible to serve as president at the state's Electoral College meeting, normally an uneventful occasion, according to
3TV in Phoenix.
According to the television station, he and two other Republicans questioned the "authenticity of Obama's [birth] certificate, rekindling a long debunked theory."
"I think for somebody in the president's position to not have produced a document that looks more legitimate, I have a problem with that," he reportedly said.
The announcement of Morrissey’s resignation came as a surprise, as he had previously said he would seek a second two-year term at the state GOP's annual organizational meeting next month.
Morrissey's said preparations for his knee replacement surgery also affected his decision.
“During a recovery you want your stress level to be as low as possible and this job is loaded with stress,” he added.