Calling remarks made by U.S. District Court Judge Clay Land “nothing short of a political lynching,” California attorney Orly Taitz has appealed a $20,000 fine imposed by the judge for her actions in his court.
Taitz, a leader of the “Birther” movement that does not believe President Obama was born in the United States, on Monday asked the U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit in Atlanta, to review Land’s Oct. 13 ruling.
Land’s rebuke stems from a Sept. 17 motion Taitz filed on behalf of former client Capt. Connie Rhodes, who sought to halt her deployment to Iraq on arguments that Obama couldn’t legitimately hold office.
Land denied the motion and Rhodes, an Army surgeon, was deployed.
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Land told Taitz the previous day that she could face sanctions if she ever again filed a “frivolous” suit in his court. When Taitz filed the motion for emergency stay, Land gave Taitz two weeks to explain why he shouldn’t sanction her $10,000.
Land doubled the fine, stating: “While the Court derives no pleasure from its imposition of sanctions upon counsel Orly Taitz, it likewise has no reservations about the necessity of doing so. A clearer case could not exist; a weaker message would not suffice.”
Taitz took issue with the fines in her appeal. The judge’s actions “appear to be designed to silence her and intimidate her and above all, punish her for what the Court perceived as political rather than ‘core’ constitutional questions,” according to Taitz’s motion.
She said Land’s ruling will have a “chilling effect,” on the public to use the Federal Courts.
“Judge Land’s remarks amounted to nothing short of political lynching, which turned into a feast and celebration by the media mob,” the motion stated.
Land also gave Taitz 30 days from Tuesday to pay, adding that if she fails to, the U.S. Attorney “will be authorized to commence collection proceedings.”
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.
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