Opinion

[Print] [Email]

Birther leader Orly Taitz slapped with $20,000 fine

By: David Freddoso
Online Opinion Editor
10/13/09 2:15 PM EDT

Thanks to her "frivolous arguments and disrespectful personal attacks" in court, the lawyer who leads the so-called "birther" movement has been slapped with a hefty fine today for abusing her privileges as a lawyer.

In levying sanctions and a $20,000 fine against attorney Orly Taitz, Judge Clay Land wrote that Taitz's most recent court filing, meant to defend herself against sanctions, "is breathtaking in its arrogance and borders on delusional."

Taitz had brought suit on behalf of two members of the military who did not want to be deployed under a supposedly illegitimate president. The purpose of the cases, as she made clear in several press conferences, was to compel the White House to produce President Obama's "real" birth certificate.

In the course of her second military case -- which the plaintiff, an Army doctor, quickly abandoned -- Taitz even alleged that Judge Land had met secretly with Attorney General Eric Holder in Columbus, Ga. Holder was thousands of miles away in Los Angeles on the day of the alleged ex parte meeting.

Judge Land wrote that court precedent dictates abstention from matters related to the running of the armed forces except in very special cases. He also offered an acid reply to Taitz's demands for further proof of President Obama's birthplace:

[P]erhaps the Court should issue a nationwide injunction that prevents the U.S. Army from sending any soldier to Iraq or Afghanistan or anywhere else until Ms. Taitz is permitted to depose the President in the Oval Office.

Under the court's order, Taitz has 30 days to pay the $20,000 fine. In addition to poisoning the public airwaves with the worst television interview of all time, Taitz and her kookery can also be blamed for ruining the careers of two soldiers whose naivete got the better of them.

Follow The Examiner

RFK, Jr.: Rush Limbaugh does it, so why shouldn't I?

In response to the attention we gave him for his old column on how Washington has "anemic winters" because of global warming, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tells NRO's Robert...

—David Freddoso

Controversial National Labor Relations Board nominee Craig Becker shot down in Senate

By a vote of 52 to 33, the Obama administration nominee to the National Labor Relations Board, Craig Becker, just failed to get the 60 votes needed for his nomination to proceed...

—Mark Hemingway

Gibbs mocks Palin -- but we suspect a crush

The highest form of flattery! Robert, declare yourself! (ap photo) Beltway Confidential knows a crush when she sees one. How else to explain the relentless mocking and...

—Julie Mason

Obama reclaims podium!

You're beautiful, Chuck Todd. I mean that. (ap photo) On a day when many White House reporters (ahem) stayed away from the White House for snow or early-deadline...

—Julie Mason

Reader Comments

All comments on this page are subject to our Terms of Use and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Examiner or its staff. Comment box is limited to 250 words.

Oct 13, 2009

Nothing frivolous about trying to get to the bottom of the issue.

Judge Land is a dishonorable sellout, just like most of Dingle Barry's supporters. Half the country rightfully believes that the truth should be known, and this should be put behind us.

Yet they continue the game of hiding the truth, and ridiculing those who want to know. They are the lowest of low. In them I find the answer to a question I've long asked, "how did Hitler or Manson find mindless cultist followers." Now I know. I think Barry's raiders would have been right there.

It's a sad time for goodness in the world, especially America.

Lynn2008

Oct 13, 2009

Completely aside from the birth certicate issue Orly Taitz is a lunatic and that's putting it nicely.

People who genuinely believe that we need an eligibility process are correct but the "birther" movement isn't helpful to that goal.

trent1280

Oct 13, 2009

Poor, poor Orly Taitz Esq: You and the other crackpots roaming the corridors of delusion now have it in your ‘heads’ that Judge Land is a supporter of Pres Obama. This seems… mmmmm… mmmmm… unlikely. He was appointed by Pres GW Bush.

Not that you are bothered by mere facts, but there’s one more for you and your fellow unpatriotic ‘birthers’ to explain away.

BTW, Orly Taitz told me that Judge Land was also born in Kenya, raised in a madrassa, owns a Hovercraft, and doesn’t like dentists. Pass it on.

melanie@gmail.com

Oct 13, 2009

WELL IF THERE IS NOTHING TO HIDE WHY DOESNT HE PRODUCE THE CERTIFICATE? MCAIN HAD TO .GOING ON THE JUDGES REMARKS ITS VERY CLEAR HE IS A LEFT WING ,HOW CAN HE SAY ANYTHING WHEN HE HASNT EVEN SEEN THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE EITHER ??? IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE .

melanie@gmail.com

Oct 13, 2009

That interview just shows how corrupt the arrogant nbc is it hasnt seen a birth certificate ,HE WAS INDONESIAN AND SHOW ME A CITENSHIP CERTIFICATE ,THERE IS NONE ,A SIMPLE WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IS PRODUCE THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE ?? so where is it??? why did mcain have to produce his?sounds like a hatchet job if you ask me .LIES ARE ALWAYS USED AS A COVERUP TRUTH IS ALWAYS SUPPORTED BY FACTS ,SO FAR NBC WHO IS A PRO GOV ORG HASNT PRODUCED ONE FACT .

tlwinslow

Oct 13, 2009

So, is he trying to fine her for exercising her freedom of speech? $20K, is that so many bucks per word?

snoe

Oct 13, 2009

@tlwinslow:

No, he's sanctioning her for frivolous legal actions and wasting scarce judicial resources. If you had read the order, you would know this. As much as you may wish it to be, it has nothing to do with freedom of speech. She's still perfectly free to continue to spout insane nonsense from the rooftops as much as she wants.

Dux

Oct 13, 2009

Throughout history, Governments have supressed evidence that should have been heard to support their own agendas. I lived for fifty years under one such Government and those who continue to shout down people like Orly Taitz as a crackpot lunatic, rather than to let her be heard, are only falling into their trap. Ask anyone who lived in Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, Apartheid South Africa or who still live today in Burma or Iran what they think.

Delux

Oct 14, 2009

Taitz can be heard all day and night via softball sym-pathetic interviews on Fox TV and AM radio.
No free speech infringement whatsoever.

Kevin Schmidt

Oct 14, 2009

The time to challenge Obama's right to run for president ended on the day he was sworn in as president.

The challenge actually should have occurred before his name was placed on every ballot in every precinct, in every county and in every state in the union.

Oct 14, 2009

But no one was concerned with his eligibility at that time as evidenced by the lack of any court challenges any where in the country. It simply was not an issue for the voters.

Obama was then elected by an indisputable majority of the voters. Then the Electoral College refused to challenge the voters and affirmed their vote. Congress too refused to challenge either the voters or the Electoral College. Bush left the White House willingly, so he too did not dispute the election. Finally on January 20th, the Supreme Court Chief Justice also refused to dispute his election and swore in Obama twice, once in front of the world and again in the privacy of the White House, just to make sure it was done constitutionally.

Kevin Schmidt

Oct 14, 2009

In other words, whether Obama was born in America or not, he is now the president of the United States because WE THE PEOPLE say so!

No one, including the Supreme Court can invalidate OUR vote! Plus, Congress may not impeach and remove him if it were to be found out that he was not born in the U.S.

Oct 14, 2009

On at least six separate occasions in our history, men too young were elected and sworn into Congress before they were legally entitled to serve in Congress as mandated in the U.S. Constitution. They all served their full terms.

How is this possible? WE THE PEOPLE are the sovereignty of the U.S. Not even the Constitution, which is the Supreme Law of the Land hold a greater power than the collective general consensus of WE THE PEOPLE.

Kevin Schmidt

Oct 14, 2009

We do indeed have the authority to over rule the Constitution or any U.S. law, but only by a clear and orderly general consensus. We cannot change the law, but we can on occasion ignore the law.
That's one of the reasons we have juries. They also have the power to ignore the law and find innocent a person who is clearly guilty of a crime.

This is the secret our government fears we will find out, WE THE PEOPLE are in charge of everything, including the law!

puzzled

Oct 14, 2009

@melanie,
Obama did produce his legal birth certificate, go to his website.

@tlwinslow
The fine was a slap on the wrist, she could be in jail for perjury for presenting an affidavit, claiming an exparte meeting with the USAG that she knew to be false.

I find it ironic that she is essentially guilty of the same thing clinton did, yet the right fails to realise the irony.

@Dux
Nice use of godwins rule. however, your argument has a deep flaw, no evidence was supressed, inface there was no evidence at all. The burden of proof on the Birther movement is to find a single bit of evidence to support their claims.

As for your fanciful idea that there was ANY legal procedings in Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia or Apartheid South Africa, especially those as even handed as justice Land has been... well your ignorance shows.

Face it, you are crazy and seek the help that your medical insurance will not pay for.

dee

Oct 14, 2009

this place is just eat up w/ stupid

depaz

Oct 14, 2009

I guess I should be glad that there is at least one judge out there who has no problem fining an attorney for a frivolous lawsuit. I love to see that as the beginning of a trend. . . .

PaulG

Oct 14, 2009

If there was anything to this birther nonsense, why can't they find any reputable people to actually investigate this? Or to put it another way, if every intelligent honest person in this country is in on a conspiracy to make Obama president, isn't that democracy? Shouldn't the crazy uncles all just STFU?

greenearth

Oct 14, 2009

Read the court filings and it becomes instantly clear that Judge Land is exactly right for a third-world autocracy. His orders are laced with derogatory language and biased opinions from outside the courtroom. His fine is a personal outburst, totally out of scale with normal practice. All in all Judge Land has shamelessly exposed his courtroom as a kangaroo court. He should be disciplined.

So, aside from all that, where's the birth certificate?

Kevin Schmidt

Oct 14, 2009

PaulG,

You are exactly right!

It is a conspiracy of WE THE PEOPLE and the U.S. Government who put Obama in the White House.

No one objected to his birth certificate when they should have, which was BEFORE the election! Then after the election, the federal government confirmed the election.

Orly and anyone else had their chance to object for an entire year and blew it! Now, no matter where in the world Obama was born, he is indeed the President of the U.S. until at least 2012.

Senator Tom Coburn (R) agrees with us because he said a few months ago in an interview on CNN, which is also in a video on Youtube, "Obama is the president because we say so."

WE THE PEOPLE, who are the sovereignty of the U.S., have spoken, and our word is final!

Paul

Oct 14, 2009

Was $20K fine enough? Maybe when Taitz becomes a real lawyer she will appreciate what just happened. I wonder if she is a mail order bride, just like her law degree? She is perfect for a reporter job with "Fake News".

Oct 14, 2009

Kevin Schmidt wrote: "WE THE PEOPLE are the sovereignty of the U.S. Not even the Constitution...hold a greater power than the collective general consensus of WE THE PEOPLE."

Kevin, that is mob rule, pure and simple. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, indeed above some general collective will of some of the people. There is a legal process to amend it, should the "collective" will of the people wish to do so, but until then it is the law of the land and should always trump the momentary wishes of the mob.

Lindle

Oct 14, 2009

Kevin S.

Why do we need laws if "WE THE PEOPLE" need only speak?

Reality

Oct 14, 2009

No worries,he'll be impeached for failing to protect the mainland when there are smoking radiated holes where cities once were,it's not hate,just reality.

Reality

Oct 14, 2009

So sorry for that last comment.

I was off my meds, again!

Constantly voting against my own best interests has really taken its toll on me.

John

Oct 14, 2009

Taitz and all the birthers are complete whack nuts trying to get attention and keep a dead issue alive. They haven't an intelligent thought in their empty brains nor any brain cells in which to keep them. Its a real laugh reading all their posts and all those who defend Taitz for being a totally irrelevant cuckoo. These are the people that were let loose on the streets when Bush cut all mental health care from the Federal budget. Its very amusing to read and see how phenomenally illiterate and stupid some US citizens are. My pet frog is smarter.

Kevin Schmidt

Oct 14, 2009

Paul,

It is not mob rule, first because there was no violence, and second there was an overwhelming general consensus of his eligibility to run for president.

When no one disputes the eligibility of a candidate before an election, and later the losing party agrees with the post election outcome, then that is a peaceful general consensus and democracy in action by WE THE PEOPLE.

Any jury can ignore the law and set free a defendant who may be clearly guilty of a crime. That too is not mob rule, and is perfectly legal, regardless of what any judge may say.

------------------------

Lindle,

Don't try to put your stupid words into my mouth.

I never said, '"WE THE PEOPLE" need only speak', and you know it.

If you don't know why we need laws, go back to grade school, and get an education this time.

Paul

Oct 14, 2009

Poor little Birthers, no court cases won, no one with a brain and common sense take you seriously, except maybe “Fake News”, where unfounded rumors and innuendo reign supreme , unlike a our US courts of law, where you need to present facts, not half baked lies. Birthers hate and can’t debate.

George Bedway

Oct 14, 2009

I don't know where BHO was born and whether (because of his mothert's age at his birth and the foreign citizenship of his father and stepfather
whether he is a natural born citizen. I do know that the media, the DNC and the courts are going to extraordinary lengths to keep us from finding out. WHY?

Paul

Oct 14, 2009

George Bedway: Get a good lawyer and take your case to court. Of Course the sticking point is that the Birthers have no facts just unfounded rumors and innuendo. After several times of flying into the lights, flies get burned, Taitz just got burned, thing is, she will continue, no end in sight.

loulou

Oct 14, 2009

Obama is a naturalized US citizen because snopes.com says so. He is also an Indonesian citizen, no that there's anything wrong with that.

Kevin Schmidt

Oct 14, 2009

Yes loulou you certainly are!

I especially like your Freudian slip:

"...no (sic) that there's anything wrong with that."

That's the problem with the Republican short bus riders, they try to find "anything wrong" with Obama.

The question of Obama's birthplace and citizenship status is moot. He is the president now and any challenges in those regards will be thrown out of court, even if he was born in Kenya. The Supreme Court may not use a judicial decree to usurp the sovereignty of WE THE PEOPLE!

Paul

Oct 14, 2009

A lawyer, dentist, realtor, black belt, I must say she is a Jack of all trade master of none. Poor little Birthers they hate and can’t debate.

iscount Christian Louboutin Sandals

Dec 5, 2009

discount Christian Louboutin
discount Christian Louboutin Wedges
Christian Louboutin Sandals
cheap Christian Louboutin Boots
cheap Christian Louboutin Pumps
cheapnikeshoes.org

mbt rr

Dec 22, 2009

mbt shoes
mbt shoe
mbt sale
mbt trainers
mbt trainer
schuhe mbt
mbt masai
mbt footwear
zapatos mbt
scarpe mbt
mbt sko
mbt reviews North Face Jacket
North Face
The North Face
Discount North Face

uggood rr

Dec 22, 2009

ugg shoes
cheap ugg boots
uggs shoes
bailey button uggs
ugg classic North Face Jacket
North Face
The North Face
Discount North Face

Timberland rr

Dec 22, 2009

Timberland Womens Shoes
timberland leather
timberland size
timberlands for kids
timberland stores
Timberland boots
Timberland For Sale
timberland mary jane
North Face Jacket
North Face
The North Face
Discount North Face
Cheap North Face Jacket
timberland apparel

jackwills rr

Dec 22, 2009

jackwills
billy jack wills
jack wills
buy jack wills
jack wills Apparel
Jack Wills Fashion Clothing
Jack Wills Hoodie
North Face Jacket
North Face
The North Face
Discount North Face
Cheap North Face Jacket
jack wills outfitters
Jack Wills

Nike rr

Dec 22, 2009

Nike max shoes
Lebron James Shoes
North Face Jacket
North Face
The North Face
Discount North Face
Cheap North Face Jacket
Lebron James Shoes
nike basketball shoes

UGG ブーrr

Dec 22, 2009

UGG Classic Mini
UGG クラシックミニ
 UGG Classic Tall
UGG クラシックトール
 UGG Classic Short
UGG クラシックショート North Face Jacket
North Face
The North Face
Discount North Face

Local

Another snowball fight planned for Dupont Circle

The Official Dupont Circle Snowball Fight facebook fanpage has over 6,000 fans now, and it looks as if snowed in DC'ers will return for another battle. Full story

Politics

GOP winning war over Miranda rights for terrorists

Even as the administration defends its decision to grant accused Detroit bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab the right to remain silent, the president himself is hinting that things might be done differently in the future. Full story

Local

D.C. region braces for up to 20 more inches of snow

The National Weather Service has the entire D.C. metro area, from Prince William County north, under a winter storm warning for 10 to 20 inches of snow. Forecasters have had their eyes on this storm for days, but the projected snow totals were bumped up late Monday. Full story

Birther leader Orly Taitz slapped with $20,000 fine

By: David Freddoso
Online Opinion Editor
10/13/09 2:15 PM EDT