Appeals court upholds $20,000 in sanctions against birther movement attorney Orly Taitz
ALAN RIQUELMY
California attorney and “birther” proponent Orly Taitz must pay $20,000 in sanctions, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday.
In the two-page decision, the appeals court states that after considering Taitz’ arguments, “we find them unpersuasive and therefore affirm the district court’s sanctions judgment.”
Taitz’ appeal stems from a suit filed on behalf of Capt. Connie Rhodes, who argued in September that Barack Obama’s presidency wasn’t legitimate and that she shouldn’t be deployed. U.S. District Court Judge Clay Land dismissed that suit Sept. 16, telling Taitz that she could face sanctions if she ever again filed a “frivolous” suit in his court. Taitz then filed a motion for emergency stay, and Land gave her two weeks to explain why he shouldn’t sanction her $10,000.
On the deadline, Taitz, who no longer represented the captain, responded with a motion to recuse Land from the case and a request to extend her deadline. Land denied the motions and sanctioned her $20,000. He later ordered the U.S. Attorney’s Office to collect.
Taitz appealed to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. She has said that she has no intention of paying.
Rhodes’ complaint was the second filed in federal court in Columbus by Taitz. The first was that of Maj. Stefan Frederick Cook, who in July also argued that Obama isn’t a natural-born citizen and can’t serve as commander in chief. Land dismissed the suit on July 16, saying the Judicial Branch of government shouldn’t “inject itself into purely ‘political disputes’ and that it should not entangle itself in hypothetical debates which had not ripened to an actual legal dispute.”
Maj. Rebecca Ausprung, who represented the government in the case, claimed Cook’s suit was “moot” because the Army had already told Cook he didn’t have to deploy, so the relief he sought was granted.
Cook appealed in September to the appeals court based in Atlanta.
The appeals court dismissed the appeal on Nov. 17, citing Cook’s failure to file a brief and record excerpts.
Read more: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2010/03/16/1052709/appeals-court-upholds-20000-in.html#ixzz0idbWV8qW