Sunday, August 02, 2009

"Birther" Attorney Orly Taitz Asks Court to Go on Kenyan Fishing Expedition Based on Unverified, Unsourced Digital Image

The internet was abuzz today as images of a "purported" Kenyan Birth Certificate of President Obama flew around the blogosphere. My public position before this little viral outbreak was that there is absolutely zero credible evidence to support the claim that President Obama was born in Kenya. After looking into the facts surrounding the origins and dissemination of this digital image, I see absolutely no reason to change my position.

Let's start with the originator of this little adventure in internet viral communications, Dr. Orly Taitz, Esquire. Ms. Taitz called me on the phone in late 2008, to follow up on an article I had written about the facts of President Obama's early life (which later became a few chapters in a book I wrote on the President). In that conversation, I tried to explain to her the factual elements surrounding his early life in a logical and thoughtful manner. Even at that early stage of her adventures, Ms. Taitz showed little interest in anything I told her. She kept pressing me for details and facts that might support his Kenyan birth. I told her I had investigated it thoroughly, and that there was absolutely no credibility in any claim that I had examined to date on that matter.

I give Ms. Taitz credit for persistence, because she hammered on that theme for much of the forty five minutes or so we spoke. I give her no credit for discernment, however, and that pattern appears to continue with the sudden appearance of this digital image that purports to be a photo of President Obama's birth certificate. I won't post a copy of the image here, because I don't attach any weight to its credibility. However, a quick google search will allow you to find the image on your own.

Let's examine how this image came into the public arena.

Ms. Taitz apparently filed this image as an exhibit to a Motion she filed with the Federal Court for something called "Rogatory Discovery." Attorneys probably can give a better definition of the term, but to me it looks like a legal term to authorize a fishing expedition. The motion was filed electronically by Ms. Taitz. with the court at about 10 pm Saturday night, August 1. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Taitz published the motion in its entirety, as well as a copy of the digital image in question on her web site. You can see this filing and the image here.

The most significant omission in Ms. Taitz filing is the following: she fails to indicate how this digital image came into her posession. Think about it for a moment. Ms. Taitz is asking a Federal Judge to authorize a fishing expedition for documents pertaining to President Obama's birth that might exist in the Governmental files of the Republic of Kenya, and she fails to offer any evidence as to the origin of the digital image upon which this request is based ? If I were the judge, that is the first of many questions I would ask Ms. Taitz when she comes before me next in court.

But the most telling aspect of all this little episode in modern viral communications is the following: Ms. Taitz filed the motion and then published the text of the motion and the accompanying image to her website over the weekend, a time when the court was not in session, knowing she would not have to immediately respond to the judge's inquiries as to the origin of the digital image.

She also knew that within seconds of the publishing of this digital image to her website, it would begin spreading virally throughout the internet.

This is, at the very least, an exercise in poor judgement on Ms. Taitz part. I think the judge presiding over her case may not be so charitable in his assessment of her actions.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think any credibility that Attorney Orly Taitz had before this incident is going to be nill once she has been proven to be in the wrong. When the truth comes out that she is totally in the wrong over this incident, I would hope they ban her or take her license away for practicing law of any kind as Lawyer in the United States.

I hope that nobody in the future will waste their time if they need a lawyer as she is making herself to look like the inept fool that she is over this birth certificate.

Nick said...

There appears to be one glaring flaw with Obama's "Kenya birth certificate". The certified copy is signed by a Deputy Registrar on February 17, 1964 and bears the official seal of the "Republic of Kenya." In fact, Kenya did not declare itself as an independent republic until December 12, 1964. Until then, it was a British protectorate from independence on December 12, 1963 and a colonial state before then. The actual form is probably real. My guess is the information is forged.

Unknown said...

Orly Taitz has zero credibility and anyone who has listened to her speak (or should that be rave) for more than a couple of minutes knows that there is something seriously wrong with the woman.

The most disturbing part of this whole thing to me are the military officers (some of substantial rank) who have joined in her crazy bandwagon and almost certainly sacrificed their careers on her altar of insanity. Serious questions need to be asked of the military's officer selection psychological testing that allowed these morons to be put in charge of leading men in life and death situations where good judgement is the very least requirement of that leadership.

Unknown said...

I am following this closely to see where this conspiracy ends. Meanwhile I have collected some good articles and sites related to Barack Obama (more than 200 sites or articles). If you are interested take a look at the below link
http://markthispage.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-do-i-get-information-about-barack.html

Michael Patrick Leahy said...

Phil,

I completely agree with you on the folly and bad judgement Ms. Taitz exercised in persuading military officers to refuse lawful orders and file lawsuits challenging the President's authority.

This is absolutely the wrong approach for military officers and completely undermines legitimate and Constitutional military authority.

Anonymous said...

Why do you assume the military personnel you mention were persuaded by Taitz to question something or other. They aren't stupid.

Moms Girl said...

With all the important events transpiring in this country, I'm so amused that Taitz has nothing better to do with her law degree than to attempt to create more temsion and controversy this country doesn't need. Is she really that bored that she has nothing better to do than to "travel to Kenya, ask a registrar to look the other way" while she obtains information on our President? Is this another attempt by the opposition to stir up trouble in this country that we don't need, especially behind a lie? I hope that this laughing stock of an attorney is exposed as a fraud and has her degree and rights to practice law revoked.