August 9, 2010 - January 11, 2011: Government Imposes Lien on ‘Birther’ Attorney for Failure to Pay Fine

The federal government imposes a lien on the property of “birther” attorney Orly Taitz, in an attempt to collect the $20,000 she owes in fines imposed by District Court Judge Clay Land (see October 13-16, 2009). Taitz has appealed the fine to the Supreme Court and been denied (see July 7 - August 16, 2010). Columbus, Ohio, lawyer Frank Martin says: “This is a notice that the federal government has put a $20,000 lien plus interest on Orly Taitz. This lien trumps the Internal Revenue Code. This lien has priority over everything else.” If Taitz does not pay the fine, the government can seize her property, Martin says, though Taitz can oppose the collection in court. Taitz says she will pay the fine to avoid “giving the government the satisfaction” of seizing her property and/or her law license, though she intends to file appeals with the Supreme Court to avoid paying. “I will pay the money and I will continue fighting,” she says, and adds that her followers and supporters are donating money to pay the fine. “I’m confident that I will get $20,000 from the public, because people are angry and livid,” she says. “I don’t think anyone has ever seen anything like this in the world. I think the government should start worrying who’s in the White House. We have problems that are much bigger than $20,000 in sanctions.” [Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, 8/9/2010; Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, 8/10/2010] The Supreme Court rejects her appeal; Taitz says she intends to present her complaint to Congress, and even to international courts. Between August 9, 2010 and January 10, 2011, she has collected some $13,000 in donations, she says. [Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, 1/10/2011]