Court Rejects South OC Attorney's Challenge to Election Results

Fourth District Court of Appeal justices in Santa Ana today rejected an appeal by an Orange County attorney who challenged state election results, claiming President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.

Orly Taitz, whose office is in Rancho Santa Margarita, has filed multiple lawsuits since 2009 challenging Obama's eligibility and has been rejected each time.

In her latest effort, Taitz appealed a lower court's ruling rejecting her attempt to prevent Secretary of State Debra Bowen from certifying results of the 2012 primary election.

Taitz sued Obama, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Elizabeth Emken, who finished ahead of Taitz in the primary for a U.S. Senate seat.

A panel of appellate justices today noted multiple legal errors on the part of Taitz, who is also a dentist. The justices also upheld a lower-court judge's ruling that Taitz owed Occidental College, where Obama was a student from 1979 to 1981, $4,000 in sanctions.

"The trial court denied her motion for a stay of certification and dismissed the proceeding on multiple grounds, including that Taitz never properly served defendants, failed to exhaust her preelection remedies, that her challenge was barred by laches, and that only the Sacramento Superior Court has jurisdiction to hear such election challenges," the justices wrote in their opinion.

Taitz has alleged that Obama is using dozens of phony Social Security numbers, but the appellate justices did not comment on the substance of her claims and pointed out numerous legal errors.

"We begin with the observation that ultimately undermines everything Taitz attempted to do (in her case): This was a challenge to a primary election," the justices noted in the ruling.

The justices observed that Taitz failed to file her lawsuit on time and failed to file emergency motions to halt the general election while continuing her litigation even after the winners took office.

Taitz argued her case herself before a panel of appellate justices earlier this month. No one argued on behalf of the defendants.

Taitz did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

-- City News Service