Birthers

Orly Taitz And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year

Justin Elliott | December 24, 2009, 2:43PM

Orly Taitz

When we began following Orly Taitz's Birther litigation back in September, we never thought we'd end up with her cell phone on speed dial.

Well, it turned out to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. But the last year (OK, fine, half year) has been full of bumps and setbacks for the attorney/dentist who is the country's most prominent purveyor of the conspiracy theory that President Obama is not a natural born U.S. citizen.

Here, in chronological order, are some of the low points of Taitz's year:

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Birthers

Orly Taitz Fires Opening Salvo In Appeal Of Never-Ending Birther Case

Justin Elliott | December 17, 2009, 3:40PM

Orly Taitz

In Part CCXXIV of our ongoing series, Orly Taitz's epic Birther lawsuit has now shifted to an appeal of a federal judge's decision to fine Taitz $20,000 for frivolous filings.

In a surprise move, it appears that Taitz has allowed another, considerably more cool-headed attorney -- Jonathan Levy of South Carolina -- to draft the opening brief filed this week in the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Levy's name appears on the brief alongside Taitz's and he sent the brief to the court.

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Birthers

Judge Directs US Attorney To Collect $20K From Orly Taitz After Failure To Pay Fine

Justin Elliott | November 13, 2009, 9:25AM

Orly Taitz

A federal judge in Georgia has ordered the US Attorney to collect a $20,000 judgment against Orly Taitz after the Birther attorney failed to pay the fine -- which she appealed -- within 30 days.

Here's the full order from Judge Clay Land, of the US District Court in the Middle District Of Georgia:

"Orly Taitz has failed to pay the $20,000.00 sanction ordered by the Court on October 13, 2009. Accordingly, the Clerk is ordered to enter final judgment in favor of the United States of America and against Orly Taitz in the principal amount of $20,000.00. The United States Attorney is authorized and directed to collect the judgment as provided by law.
IT IS SO ORDERED, this 13th day of November, 2009. "

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Birthers

Birther Taitz Decries 'Political Lynching' In New Filing Against Judge's $20K Fine

Justin Elliott | October 21, 2009, 9:13AM

Orly Taitz

In a colorful eight-page filing, Birther attorney Orly Taitz declares that she will appeal a federal judge's $20,000 fine, which she was ordered to pay within 30 days last week.

In his lengthy order imposing the fine, Judge Clay Land promised to authorize the U.S. Attorney to "to commence collection proceedings" if Taitz did not pay the fine. So stay tuned -- we may be building up to some kind of climactic final showdown.

Here's a taste of Taitz's latest (bolded text in original):

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Orly Taitz

Orly Taitz Responds To Judge's $20k Fine: Shove It!

Justin Elliott | October 13, 2009, 11:33AM

Orly Taitz

Reached on her cell phone by TPMmuckraker and informed of the $20,000 fine imposed on her by a federal judge this morning, Birther attorney Orly Taitz responded, first, with laughter.

"So he didn't recuse himself?" Taitz asked, after letting out an extended, nervous-sounding chuckle.

Still defiant after months of legal wrangling and, by our count, three written denunciations by federal district court Judge Clay Land, Taitz said she had absolutely no plans to pay the $20,000 fine.

"Are you kidding? Of course not," she said, asked whether she planned to send a check. "This is a form of intimidation."

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Orly Taitz

Judgment Day: Birther Taitz Fined $20,000 For Misconduct

Justin Elliott | October 13, 2009, 11:00AM

Orly Taitz

Finally fed up with Orly Taitz's repeated frivolous and conspiracy-ridden filings in a Birther lawsuit, the judge in the case has fined the crusading attorney $20,000.

Opening with a quote from Justice Cardozo on the privilege of bar membership, Judge Clay Land of the U.S. District Court in the Middle District Of Georgia goes on for some length -- the order is 43 pages -- explaining his reasoning:

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Orly Taitz

Taitz Alleges Judge Secretly Met With Holder -- And Cites Coffee Shop Sighting To Prove It

Justin Elliott | October 5, 2009, 10:23AM

Orly Taitz

In a 24-page filing littered with all-caps, bold, and underlined text, Birther attorney Orly Taitz is demanding that a federal judge recuse himself in a case that has morphed from a soldier's attempt to resist Barack Obama's orders to what Taitz sees as a prosecution of herself.

Taitz alleges that Judge Clay Land met with Attorney General Eric Holder, who was allegedly spotted at a small coffee shop across from Land's courtroom in Columbus, Georgia, on the day of a Birther hearing. A strange affidavit by one Robert Douglas describes the putative sighting of Holder, sans entourage, who "probably thought he would not be recognized."

Douglas writes:

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Orly Taitz

Judge To Taitz: You're Not Off The Hook On $10K Fine For Frivolous Filings

Justin Elliott | September 28, 2009, 4:18PM

Orly Taitz

Judge Clay Land today granted Birther attorney Orly Taitz's motion to withdraw as counsel for her ex-client, but said he was not authorizing any breach of attorney-client privilege, and reminded her that she still must respond to his threat of sanctions for frivolous filings.

Land, of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, writes in the order today:

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Orly Taitz

New Filing From Birther Taitz: Case Is Now A 'Quasi-Criminal Prosecution' Of Me!

Justin Elliott | September 28, 2009, 9:59AM

Orly Taitz

When we last checked in on the Birther lawsuit Attorney Orly Taitz is pursuing in federal court, Taitz's client, Army Capt. Connie Rhodes, was denouncing Taitz and threatening her with a bar complaint. And the judge had given Taitz until October 2 to explain why he shouldn't fine her $10,000 for repeated frivolous filings.

Now, in a new motion filed Saturday in U.S. district court in Georgia, Taitz "respectfully" requests that she be allowed to withdraw as Rhodes' counsel. (Rhodes, who has deployed to Iraq, already requested that Taitz no longer represent her.)

But here's the twist: Taitz says her motive for seeking to withdraw as counsel is to be able to divulge "privileged attorney-client communications" and to "offer evidence and call witnesses whose testimony will be adverse to her (former) client's most recently stated position in this case."

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Orly Taitz

Army Captain Client Threatens Taitz With Bar Complaint: She Doesn't Speak For Me

Justin Elliott | September 21, 2009, 11:01AM

Orly Taitz

The Orly Taitz "birther soldier" case playing out in U.S. District Court in Georgia finally jumped the shark Friday.

The moment came when Army Capt. Connie Rhodes, the client of Birther agitator Taitz, sent a letter to the judge renouncing her ex-counsel and saying she intends to file a complaint against Taitz with the California bar.

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Orly Taitz

Judge Clay Land v. Orly Taitz, Part II

Justin Elliott | September 18, 2009, 4:38PM

Orly Taitz

Orly Taitz must like the abuse.

Sometime between being thoroughly smacked down by a federal judge and threatened with sanctions Wednesday, then denouncing said judge to TPM as a corrupt puppet, then having a formal complaint filed against her by a fellow member of the California bar for her comments, self-appointed Birther leader Taitz filed a motion in the U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Georgia challenging the judge's order tossing her most recent case.

Now, the judge is threatening her with a fine to the tune of $10,000.

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Orly Taitz

Birther Orly Taitz Faces California Bar Complaint Over Attack On Judge

Justin Elliott | September 17, 2009, 6:45PM

Orly Taitz

Things just keeping getting worse for Queen Birther Orly Taitz. Yesterday, a federal judge not only threw out her latest "birther soldier" lawsuit, but also took the time to demolish Birtherism generally and threaten Taitz with sanctions if she files more frivolous suits.

Now, in response to Taitz's comments to TPM calling the judge corrupt and suggesting he should be tried for treason, a fellow member of the California bar has filed a formal complaint against Taitz.

"I respectfully request that you investigate Ms. Taitz's conduct and impose an appropriate sanction. She is an embarrassment to the profession," writes Subodh Chandra, who practices in Ohio and is also an inactive member of the California bar.

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