Obama Citizenship

WND: Obama Campaign Paid $1 million to Fight Eligibility Lawsuits?

By Phil

WorldNetDaily is reporting what some — including myself — have been careful to substantiate: how much the President has been spending on eligibility lawsuits. Many rumors had been going around the Internet that the actual figure was at least $1 million, and recently the Politico had reported nearly three-quarters of a million dollars had been paid to a top law firm this year.

According to the following posting, WND appears to further substantiate the $1 million figure:

According to Federal Election Commission records, Obama For America paid $688,316.42 to international law firm Perkins Coie between January and March 2009.

FEC’s Obama For America 2009 April quarterly report, disbursements by payee

The campaign also compensated Perkins Coie for legal services between Oct. 16, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2008 ? to the tune of $378,375.52.

Robert Bauer of Perkins Coie ? top lawyer for Obama, Obama’s presidential campaign, the Democratic National Committee and Obama’s Organizing for America ? is the same Washington, D.C., lawyer defending President Obama in lawsuits challenging his eligibility to be president.

As WND reported earlier, Bauer sent a letter to plaintiff Gregory Hollister, a retired Air Force colonel, of Hollister v. Soetoro, threatening sanctions if he doesn’t withdraw his appeal of the eligibility case that earlier was tossed by a district judge because the issue already had been “twittered.”

Bauer’s warning was dated April 3 and delivered via letter to the plaintiff’s attorney, John D. Hemenway. It is not the first such warning issued. Lawyers trying to kill a similar California lawsuit filed on behalf of Ambassador Alan Keyes also said they would seek sanctions against the plaintiff’s attorneys in that case unless they left the issue of the president’s eligibility alone.

“For the reasons stated in Judge Robertson’s ruling, the suit is frivolous and should not be pursued,” Bauer’s letter warned. “Should you decline to withdraw this frivolous appeal, please be informed that we intend to pursue sanctions, including costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees, pursuant to Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 38 and D.C. Circuit Rule 38.”

Bauer also represented Obama and the DNC in Philip Berg’s eligibility lawsuit and various other legal challenges. He and the White House have not responded to WND’s request for comment.

Perkins Coie serves high-profile clients such as Microsoft, Amazon and Starbucks. In 2006, the firm also represented Salim Ahmed Hamdan, Osama bin Laden’s alleged bodyguard and driver.

The FEC allows elected officials to use campaign funds to pay legal fees only if the action/investigations arise as a result of their tenure in office or campaigns, according to Politico.

The FEC report also reveals Obama For America has spent nearly $9.5 million in the first three months of this year ? of which $6,365 in legal fees paid by Obama For America also went to Oldaker, Biden & Belair, a firm founded by Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.

This information — particularly the copy of the letter sent by Mr. Bauer to Mr. Hemenway — seems to reasonably substantiate that the President has spent approximately $1 million during and after his campaign to fight these suits. And unless it can be shown that the post-election legal payments were unlawful, there is nothing illegal about any of this.

Yet, what it does point out is that the President is going to great lengths to be sure that he fights every possibility of his vital documentation being revealed.

-Phil

Full post as published by The Right Side of Life on April 23, 2009 (boomark / email).