Sharon Rondeau
Judge Michael Malihi is presiding over the Obama ballot challenges being heard today in Atlanta, GA
(Jan. 26, 2012) — The court convened at approximately 9:30 a.m. Judge Michael Malihi began by asking those present to stand and reading the last paragraph of Atty. Michael Jablonski's letter to Brian Kemp, Georgia Secretary of State, "into the record," commenting that Jablonski was not present at the hearing.
The judge called plaintiff David Welden to stand and asked where he resided and if he were a registered voter in the state of Georgia. Then his attorney, Van Irion, stood and stated that there were three types of citizenship in the United States. He then provided argument on the definition of "natural born Citizen," referring to Minor v. Happersett.
"The court should recognize that the term 'citizen" is not 'natural born Citizen,' Irion said. "The Minor court's definition of 'natural born Citizen' says 'parents.'
"In closing, this case is about the Constitution," Irion said. We've shown that Barack Obama's father was never a citizen…and that means he is not constitutionally qualified…Finally, the defendant was ordered to be here, and I wish to state on the record that that shows not just a contempt for this court…"
Then Irion was interrupted and stopped speaking.
9:54 a.m.: Atty. J. Mark Hatfield stood and stating that he represents Kevin Richard Powell and Carl Swensson. Hatfield mentioned the White House schedule as he saw that it related to Obama's lack of attendance at the hearing.
Carl Swensson was sworn in at 9:56 a.m. and stated his residence and county. Then Kevin Powell was asked the same. Both were asked if they were able to vote for President of the United States.
Swensson and Powell explained their challenges filed with the Secretary of State's office to the judge.
Hatfield held up the Certification of Nomination which Nancy Pelosi signed in 2008 to place Obama's name on the ballot. The judge asked if it was a "certified copy," and Hatfield answered that it was. He then read from it, stating that it did not affirm that the candidates met constitutional requirements to serve, while the wording from the Republican National Committee for its candidates did contain that wording.
The judge asked if the documents were from a "United States government source," and Hatfield answered "Yes, sir, they were."
Hatfield cited Jablonski's January 25 letter "indicating that they did not want the proceedings to go forward and did not want to participate." Hatfield also entered into evidence Obama's book, Dreams From My Father.
Ken Allen, a resident of Arizona, stood to present the documentation he had received from the State Department after submitting a FOIA request early in 2009, which The Post & Email reported on here. He stated that "Barack Obama Sr." was "never a citizen."
At 10:09 a.m. someone said, "Let's take a short break," and people stood up and began moving around and talking with one another.
At 10:17 a.m., the court was called back in to order.
Atty. Orly Taitz was called upon to speak. The Georgia registered voter whom she represents, David Farrar, stood and identified himself.
Taitz utilized a projector on the wall to the right of the judge as an aid in her presentation. She then stated that evidence existed that Obama possessed Indonesian citizenship, to which the judge was heard by this writer to say, "That's not relevant." Taitz then discussed the court's decision in Minor v. Happersett and was interrupted by the judge, who said, "Counselor, can you save your argument for the closing?" She then stopped speaking.
Mr. Christopher Strunk of New York then went up to the front of the courtroom to testify, and Taitz began to ask him questions about the passport records of Stanley Ann Dunham, one of which contains the name "Soebarkah." Strunk stated, "She wanted that expunged from her record, but we never got that."
Susan Daniels, Private Investigator from Ohio, then took the stand, and spoke about her investigation which revealed that Obama had reportedly been using a social security number which she contended had not been assigned to him.
Taitz asked Daniels, "What was the social security number attached to your request?" and Daniels read off "042-68-4425." Daniels said, "In all my years, I've never seen anything like this." She stated that the person who had originally owned the number had been born in 1890.
"First I ran the social security number to check the address, and the same number came up for him in Massachusetts, Illinois, and Washington, DC. It showed a phone number, and it was always the same number…It would show intermittently 'August 4, 1961′ and '1890.'" Daniels stated that she obtained information "directly from the Social Security Administration."
At 10:30 Mr. Chito Papa took the stand. He stated that he works in the field of Information Technology including Adobe® software.
Taitz asked Papa if the "birth certificate" which "Obama posted online" had flattened layers. "Did you see one layer or multiple layers? Taitz asked. "I saw multiple layers," he answered.
Taitz asked Papa about Obama's social security number which appeared on his tax return posted on the internet, and Papa stated that the layers had not been flattened. Taitz then thanked Papa for his testimony.
At 10:36 a.m. another witness, Linda Jordan, was called to the stand. Taitz adjusted her Powerpoint presentation by means of a laptop computer and began by asking a question about "E-Verify," the U.S. government's system for flagging potential illegal immigrants from working. Jordan stated that she ran Obama's number through the E-Verify system and said, "When I read it, it was 2011, and it could not verify it. It came back."
At 10:39 a.m., Douglas Vogt took the stand. Vogt stated that he owns a typesetting company and has been "in the business for 18 years now."
Taitz asked Vogt if he examined the birth certificate which was posted online, and he said, "Yes, I did." He stated that "sloping lines" would not be seen if the image had been made from a paper document.
Taitz asked, "Would you expect to see a clear embossed seal on the document?" and Vogt answered, "Yes, I would." However, he stated that such was not present on Obama's birth certificate. Regarding the number of Obama's purported birth record, Vogt stated that "federal regs" require that "all birth certificate numbers have to be sequential, starting on January 1."
At 10:49, witness John Sampson took the stand. He stated that he has a background in criminal justice, served as a police officer in New York City and worked as an immigration inspector. His background includes working for the INS in the area of "immigration fraud" and he was also a deportation officer. He stated that he has testified in front of "federal grand juries." He stated that he started his own consulting firm in 2009 and has been self-employed since then.
Taitz asked Sampson about Obama's social security number, and Sampson said that he "ran" the number 042-68-4425 and that it was assigned to Obama since 1977.
Taitz asked if Sampson had examined the birth certificate, and he said, "Yes." He raised the issue of the Nordyke twins' birth certificate, whose numbers were lower than Obama's even though their birth occurred a day later. He stated that the registrar's name was different than that on the Nordyke twins' documents and that it was unlikely that the registrar would have been different in the "same hospital" regarding births one day apart.
Sampson recommended further investigation, including subpoenas and court orders, to obtain more information on the number "042-68-4425."
Sampson mentioned that Obama has also been known as "Barry Soetoro."
Taitz asked what Sampson thought needed to be done regarding the questions about Obama's background, and he recommended asking for an official copy of the SS-5 for his social security number application and the Hawaii Department of Health to see "if he was born in Hawaii." Sampson stated that an investigation would be "a criminal investigation" through a U.S. attorney's office. He said that if a person has been found to be impersonating a U.S. citizen, he would be subject to "deportation."
Shortly thereafter, Sampson's testimony ended, and Taitz began discussing Obama's alleged years in Indonesia from 1968-71, during which he was known as "Barry Soetoro."
"We have another boy who from 1968-69 was in Hawaii," she said. The judge then said, "Are you testifying? Do you know how?" which brought laughter from the assembly. The judge then said she could discuss the matter during closing arguments. Taitz responded, "I would like to testify," after which she took the stand.
Taitz stated that "Mr. Obama has resigned from the bar." The judge asked, "How is that relevant?" Taitz said that it was pertinent because Obama was "hiding his identity."
"I'm going to ask you to submit your testimony in writing," the judge said. "OK," Taitz said. She then left the stand and spoke from the assembly once again. She stated that "We have clear evidence of fraud and forgery…Mr. Obama has used other last names…" She then stated that of all the lawsuits filed against Obama regarding his eligibility, none were heard on "the merits." Taitz asked Judge Malihi to order the release of Obama's records in Hawaii and to hold Obama in "contempt of court" for failing to appear at the hearing.
The judge said, "Thank you" and adjourned the court at 11:12 a.m.
