Obama Birth Certificate Lawsuit, African Press International, Michelle Obama UPDATES

Obama Birth Certificate:
Berg v. Obama Federal Lawsuit News Update
African Press International News Update




* Ruling Possible today in Berg v. Obama?
* African Press International completes Arrangements for Legal Representation in North America

Updates to this story at: Obama Birth Certificate: Ruling in Berg v. Obama Expected In Next Two Days

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There may be some movement in the federal lawsuit, Berg v. Obama, today.

Jeff Schreiber, a legal student who's also been covering the case from Philadelphia and has sources inside the federal courthouse is writing that there likely could be a ruling before this weekend.

From
Space Reserved for News on Court Order:

"I have, from good and reliable sources, information suggesting that the Hon. R. Barclay Surrick will come down with an order and memorandum either on Thursday or Friday."

This space is reserved for news on that order. Therefore, unless something monumental occurs over the next two days, I will not be reporting anything further so as to reserve this spot for news regarding the decision in the Berg v. Obama case. It should be easier for everyone that you can simply check this part of the page for news of the order without having to wade through anything else.

Schreiber, who was the first to write about the Berg suit (Berg is demanding that Barack Obama supply the court with proof of his U.S. citizenship), has been the best source of news on Berg v. Obama.

Schreiber's site, America's Right, has a complete archive of the motions filed by both sides in the lawsuit and a trip through AR's archives, located on the right sidebar, will get readers up to speed on the case from the beginning.

Schreiber's best guess (he clearly labels it as one) has been that Berg lacks standing to sue Obama in federal court. From talking to his sources, Schreiber senses that the judge may surprise everyone on this point.

Common sense, for the past two months, has told me that Philip Berg's case will be eventually dismissed on grounds of lack of standing. Nevertheless, I have had a gut feeling that Judge Surrick may very well just surprise us all -- the information I have been getting over the past 24-36 hours reinforces that gut feeling.

Jeff Schreiber also tags this bit of info onto the above-cited post:

"Please refrain from calling the courthouse, as I am told that the phone calls are coming in at the rate of several dozen each day. And, as always, keep checking here at America's Right for updates, especially this crucial one. America's Right was the first to report on this lawsuit when it was filed on August 21, and I have no reason to believe that America's Right will not be the first to report on the judge's decision."

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ALSO at DBKP:

* Obama Birth Certificate Lawsuit: Obama, DNC Fail to Respond-UPDATED
* Washington Man Files Lawsuit over Obama Citizenship Questions
* Obama College, Medical, Birth Records: Who is Barack Obama?
* Obama Birth Certificate Federal Lawsuit: Video Released On YouTube
* Obama Birth Certificate Federal Lawsuit: Updates, News and Reactions
* Obama Birth Certificate Federal Lawsuit: The Curious Behavior of the Obama Campaign
* Obama, Bill Ayers, and FactCheck.Org: All Have Ties To Annenberg Foundation

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NOTES:

* DBKP has attempted to reach Phillip Berg over the last 24 hours, but Mr. Berg was out of his office yesterday, making the rounds of talk shows. Berg appeared on three different ones yesterday, including G.Gordon Liddy's.

* There have been two lawsuits in the states of Washington and Hawaii asking Obama to provide the secretary of state with basically the same information sought by Berg. According to reports, these cases would have a much better chance of success on the standing issue.


AFRICAN PRESS INTERNATIONAL




On the African Press International story (Michelle Obama's supposed phone conversation with a small African news agency), a much different update was being prepared than this one.

It has been nine days since African Press International claimed that Michelle Obama called one of its correspondents and made some controversial remarks. [Shocking development: Mrs Obama decides enough is enough: "My husband was born in Hawaii and adopted by his step father, does that make him unpatriotic; she asks", on a direct telephone to API.]

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RELATED: BACKGROUND at DBKP:
* African Press International, Michelle Obama Phone Call: Tapes Released Later Today
* Michelle Obama Calls African News Organization Over Obama Birth Certificate Reporting - UPDATED
* African Press International, Michelle Obama: Editor Says He Has Audio Tape of Conversation
* African Press International: Open Letter to Michelle Obama from API Chief Editor

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Some bloggers have grown impatient and washed their hands of the entire affair, pronouncing it a hoax.

These writers may very well be correct in their assessment.

Our opinion?

We really don't have one. We have no reason to disbelieve African Press International's account of the incident. The Obama campaign quickly issued denials to ABC and NRO concerning the story. That makes it a legitimate story in our minds, so we'll report on it.

DBKP was ready to join their ranks of those believing it was a hoax and decided to reserve judgment a bit.

Our reasoning?

We're here to report on the developments--if any--of this story. Is it a hoax? We repeatedly said: we don't know. We don't think anyone else at this point, outside of the principals involved, knows either. We'll let our readers make their own decisions about whether they believe or disbelieve the API stories.

That being said, DBKP has obtained information that legal representation for API for all of North America has been worked out and that the attorneys involved believe that they will have possession of the audio tapes later today.

From all accounts, API is described as a bunch of amateurs, unschooled in handling the unexpected attention their story brought them.

We've also received a few reports that several people have heard "snippets" from the tapes and that that they appear to be legitimate. We will caution:

• We have no way of confirming this;
• We have no way of knowing how these individuals arrived at their decision that they appeared legitimate; and,
• We have no information on whether the individuals who've claimed they've heard the "snippets" of the audio have any particular background or expertise in validating or authenticating audio tapes.

We do have more reason to believe that whatever audio is available will be in the hands of attorneys in North America today.

The question of whether they are real or not would then have to be examined.

We will post more information as it becomes available and, as always, let our readers make their own judgments.


by Mondo Frazier
images: dbkp file

Today in History: December 12, 2007

Politics, War, Terrorism, Civil Rights, Crime, Disasters, Legal, Culture, Celebrities, Birthdays

On Dec. 12, 1917, Father Edward Flanagan founded Boys Town outside Omaha, Neb.

POLITICS

In 1787, Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

WAR!

In 1937, Japanese aircraft sank the U.S. gunboat Panay on China's Yangtze River. (Japan apologized, and paid $2.2 million in reparations.) Japan was at war with China at the time.

TERRORISM

In 1997, Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, the international terrorist known as "Carlos the Jackal," went on trial in Paris on charges of killing two French investigators and a Lebanese national. (Ramirez was convicted, and is serving a life sentence.)

In 1997, a defiant North Korea said it would immediately reactivate a nuclear power plant that U.S. officials suspected was being used to develop weapons.

In 2006, A suicide bomber struck a crowd of mostly poor Shiites in Baghdad, killing some five dozen people and wounding more than 200. A two-day conference questioning the existence of the Nazi Holocaust ended in Tehran. Actor Peter Boyle died in New York at age 71.

CIVIL RIGHTS

In 1870, Joseph H. Rainey of South Carolina became the first black lawmaker sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt nominated Oscar Straus to be secretary of commerce and labor; Straus became the first Jewish Cabinet member.

In 2002, President Bush publicly rebuked Senate Republican leader Trent Lott for his statement that appeared to embrace half-century-old segregationist politics, calling it "offensive" and "wrong."

DISASTERS

In 1985, 248 American soldiers and eight crew members were killed when an Arrow Air charter crashed after takeoff from Gander, Newfoundland.

LEGAL

In 2000, a divided U.S. Supreme Court reversed a state court decision for recounts in Florida's contested election, transforming George W. Bush into the president-elect.

CRIME

In 1913, authorities in Florence, Italy, announced that the "Mona Lisa," stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris in 1911, had been recovered.

CELEBRITIES

Five years ago: Actor Nick Nolte pleaded no contest in Malibu, Calif., to one count of driving under the influence of drugs; he was sentenced to three years' probation.

CULTURE

In 1897, "The Katzenjammer Kids," the pioneering comic strip created by Rudolph Dirks, made its debut in the New York Journal.

In 1925, the first motel — the Motel Inn — opened in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

BIRTHDAYS

TV host Bob Barker is 84. Former New York City Mayor Edward Koch is 83. Singer Connie Francis is 69. Singer Dionne Warwick is 67. Rock singer-musician Dickey Betts is 64. Actor Wings Hauser is 60. Actor Bill Nighy is 58. Country singer LaCosta is 57. Gymnast-turned-actress Cathy Rigby is 55. Actress Sheree J. Wilson is 49. Singer-musician Sheila E. is 48. Pop singer Daniel O'Donnell is 46. Rock musician Eric Schenkman (Spin Doctors) is 44. Rock musician Nicholas Dimichino (Nine Days) is 40. Actress Jennifer Connelly is 37. Actress Madchen Amick is 37. Country singer Hank Williams III is 35. Actress Mayim Bialik is 32. Model Bridget Hall is 30.

Wednesday, Dec. 12, the 346th day of 2007. There are 19 days left in the year.

compiled by Mondoreb
[image:britannica]
Source: AP - Today in History




Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

Today in History: December 11, 2007

On Dec. 11, 1936, Britain's King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson.

WAR, POLITICS, LEGAL, SCIENCE, TERRORISM, BIRTHDAYS

December 11, 2007

POLITICS

In 1816, Indiana became the 19th state.

In 1937, Italy withdrew from the League of Nations.

TERRORISM

In 1928, police in Buenos Aires announced they had thwarted an attempt on the life of President-elect Herbert Hoover.

In 2002, a congressional report found that intelligence agencies that were supposed to protect Americans from the Sept. 11 hijackers failed to do so because they were poorly organized, poorly equipped and slow to pursue clues that might have prevented the attacks.

In 2006, Iran hosted Holocaust deniers from around the world at a conference examining whether the Nazi genocide had taken place.

WAR!

In 1941, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States; the U.S. responded in kind.

LEGAL

In 1792, France's King Louis XVI went before the Convention to face charges of treason. (Louis was convicted, and executed the following month.)

In 1991, a jury in West Palm Beach, Fla., acquitted William Kennedy Smith of sexual battery, rejecting the allegations of Patricia Bowman.

In 1997, Henry Cisneros, President Clinton's first housing secretary, was indicted on charges of conspiracy, obstructing justice and making false statements about payments to his former mistress. (Cisneros, who later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, was eventually pardoned by Clinton.)

SCIENCE

In 1882, Boston's Bijou Theatre, the first American playhouse to be lighted exclusively by electricity, gave its first performance (Gilbert and Sullivan's "Iolanthe").

In 2006, after a two-day journey, space shuttle Discovery reached the international space station for a weeklong stay.

BIRTHDAYS

Nobel Prize-winning author Alexander Solzhenitsyn is 89. Actor Jean-Louis Trintignant is 77. Actress Rita Moreno is 76. Former California state lawmaker Tom Hayden is 68. Pop singer David Gates (Bread) is 67. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., is 66. Actress Donna Mills is 65. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is 64. Singer Brenda Lee is 63. Actress Lynda Day George is 63. Music producer Tony Brown is 61. Actress Teri Garr is 59. Movie director Susan Seidelman is 55. Actress Bess Armstrong is 54. Singer Jermaine Jackson is 53. Rock musician Mike Mesaros (The Smithereens) is 50. Rock musician Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue) is 49. Rock musician Darryl Jones (The Rolling Stones) is 46. Singer-musician Justin Currie (Del Amitri) is 43. Rock musician David Schools (Gov't Mule, Widespread Panic) is 43. Actor Gary Dourdan is 41. Actress-comedian Mo'Nique ("The Parkers") is 39. Rapper-actor Mos Def is 34. Actor Rider Strong is 28.

Tuesday, Dec. 11, the 345th day of 2007. There are 20 days left in the year.

compiled: Mondoreb
Source: AP - Today in History
[image:viewimages]



Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.