Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) told supporters he would back a bill to investigate the authenticity of President Barack Obama 's birth certificate, though he conceded the 'birther' movement was a "distraction" from more pressing issues.

Right Wing Watch posted audio of Yoho's comments from a Saturday town hall, in which the Florida Republican said he called his colleague Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas) to pledge his support for a potential bill that would launch an investigation into whether the president's birth certificate is fake.

The audience applauded Yoho, but an attendee asked the congressman if such a bill would be an appropriate use of time. The crowd responded "no," and Yoho agreed by labeling it a "distraction."

"But I'm gonna check into that because in order to have freedom, you have to have economic freedom," he said, before pivoting back to why Stockman's bill mattered.

"But then they said, well, if [the birth certificate] is truly illegal, he shouldn't be there and we can get rid of everything and I said I agree with that," Yoho said.

The congressman still seemed to go back and forth on the subject, asking again, "But is that the best way to spend our time?"

During the same town hall, Yoho claimed a 10 percent tax on tanning beds under the Affordable Care Act was "racist," because people born with darker skin don't need to tan.

(h/t TalkingPointsMemo )

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