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Monday, Sep 21, 2009 5:05 PM UTC

Even Orly Taitz’s clients are ditching her

An Army surgeon once represented by the Birther calls her old attorney's moves "reprehensible and unprofessional"

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Topics: Orly Taitz, Birthers, War Room,

Birther lawyer Orly Taitz has gotten herself in some hot water recently. Last week, federal judge in Georgia who was presiding over a suit Taitz brought on behalf of Army Capt. Connie Rhodes got fed up with the Birther-in-Chief’s antics and threatened her with $10,000 in sanctions. Now, it seems that the motion Taitz filed that provoked the judge wasn’t even authorized by her client.

In a letter to Judge Clay Land, Rhodes wrote:

I became aware on last night’s local news that a Motion to Stay my deployment had been entered on my behalf. I did not authorize this motion to be filed. I thank you for hearing my case and respect [the ruling dismissing it.] It is evident that the original filing … was full of political conjecture which was not my interest ….

With that I said (sic), please withdraw the Motion to Stay that Ms. Taitz filed this past Thursday. I did not authorize it and do not wish to proceed. Ms. Taitz never requested my permission nor did I give it ….

Furthermore, I do not wish for Ms. Taitz to file any future motions or represent me in any way in this court. It is my plan to file a complaint with the California State Bar due to her reprehensible and unprofessional actions.

This isn’t the first time Taitz has done this sort of thing, despite the fact that it is — to use the standard, complicated legal jargon — a big no-no. Lawyers are supposed to represent their clients’ wishes, not use their clients to advance their own interests, especially not without their permission.

Despite Rhodes’ letter and Land’s threat to fine her, Taitz appears ready to press on. In posts on her blog, she’s talking about filing additional motions in the case, and she writes:

This is very similar to what I have seen in the communist dictatorship in the Soviet Union …. What is next? They will throw me in FEMA GULAG? I hope each and every citizen of this country rises against this tyranny. I will be seeking all means of redress available to me by law. I will be seeking Rule 11 discovery to prove that Obama is indeed illegitimate, my case was not frivolous and not only I don’t owe $10,000 in sanctions, but the defendants owe costs and my reasonable attorneys fees. These fees just went up significantly.

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon. More Alex Koppelman.

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