Here are my picks for the top 10 birther stories of 2014:
1. McInnish v. Chapman lawsuit rejected by the Alabama Supreme Court, despite 2 birther-friendly judges
This lawsuit, ultimately over a detailed point of Alabama law, nonetheless created great anticipation among the birthers. On the Alabama high court sat Chief Justice Roy Moore, a former writer for WorldNetDaily, and Justice Tom Parker who had written a birther-friendly opinion in another case. Adding to the hopefulness was the submission of an affidavit from Mike Zullo detailing his personal knowledge of things he read on the Internet. Ultimately the decision was to reject the appeal with the two birther-friendly judges being the only ones in opposition
2. Former Cold Case Posse volunteer, Brian Reilly, writes candidly about Arpaio and Zullo
No list of important birther happenings in 2014 would be complete without Brian Reilly, former Cold Case Posse member who became satisfied that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, but increasingly uneasy about the conduct of Mike Zullo. Reilly resigned from the Posse and wrote a memoir of his experiences, published here at Obama Conspiracy Theories. Reilly was later interviewed on local television in Phoenix.
The story of how Brian Reilly became disillusioned with the Cold Case Posse and their methods and how he eventually became disillusioned with birtherism as a whole is rare, but encouraging.
3. Dr. Conspiracy named as birth certificate forgery conspirator
In a bizarre turn of affairs, the Internet blogger Dr. Conspiracy who for over 5 years had written about birthers, found himself the subject of attention when birther Douglas Vogt named him one of the “John Doe” conspirators in his legal action attempting to persuade a federal judge to convene a grand jury to investigate Vogt’s allegations. The real names of the John Doe persons, previously sealed, were exposed when it was re-filed, unsealed, at the Supreme Court. Birther Princess Miki Booth was also named. Dr. Conspiracy could not be reached for comment.
4. Birther Walter Fitzpatrick III found guilty in Tennessee
Walter Francis Fitzpatrick III faced several charges in connection with the harassment of a McMinn County, Tennessee, Grand Jury foreman. He was convicted of aggravated perjury and extortion. His sentence was for 3 years in prison.
5. Orly Taitz fails in her attempt to be come California’s Attorney General
There had to be some Orly Taitz story on the list. The choices were between her failed lawsuits, new new immigration/disease prevention suit, and her run for California’s Attorney General. Taitz ran a half-hearted campaign garnering only 3.1% of the vote in the primary election. Part of her failure may be attributed (not really) to the enigmatic Orly Taitz Super PAC web site, that turned out to be sarcasm.
6. Rasmussen poll says 23% of Americans believe Obama is not an American Citizen
Probably the saddest story of the year is the continued birther belief among the US population, as documented by the Rasmussen poll and others. Significantly, other polls showed that the confusion over presidential eligibility sown by birthers against Obama, has come back to haunt other hopefuls for the office such as Ted Cruz.
7. Birther cop suspended in Ferguson, Missouri
A white cop named Dan Page in Ferguson, Missouri, was caught on tape shoving a black reporter. When his earlier racist comments came to light, he was suspended. He was also a birther. This story points out the fact that cameras are rolling in more situations than ever.
8. Major birther “dust up” on Peter Boyles live radio between Carl Gallups and Lawrence Sellin
Birther tempers flared over the continued delays by Mike Zullo and his Cold Case Posse to do anything in the way of releasing material that they claim is potentially “universe-shattering” against Barack Obama. “Put up or shut up” is a sentiment expressed by many birthers, and it came to head on the radio show hosted by Peter Boyles, himself a noted birther. Damage control followed.
9. Mike Zullo admits accepting a $10,000 gratuity from a source in his investigation
This story seemed to bother Mike Zullo a lot more than me. The Cold Case Posse has been hiding behind multiple versions of its financial accountability in order to evade filing the reports that most non-profit organizations file with the IRS. What’s $10,000 more in the big scheme of things? Arpaio got millions in campaign contributions from the birthers. The story got local TV news coverage in Phoenix with an interview with Brian and Denise Reilly. Zullo was filmed admitting that he took the money. Despite Zullo’s admission, Zullo supporters are demanding that Reilly retract what he said.
10. The Joe Show documentary airs nationally
I wish I had audience numbers for The Joe Show as it appeared on the Information Discovery Channel in December. I hope it was watched widely in Phoenix as it documented Joe Arpaio’s manipulation of the media, and the cruel deaths that occurred at the hands of his corrections officers in the county jail. Arpaio’s campaign manager admits on screen that Arpaio made millions in campaign contributions from his birther thing, while his aids told him it made him look like a clown. That follows on the heels of a devastating book by former Deputy Chief Brian Sands, “Arpaio De Facto Lawman,” now out in its 2nd edition.
Update:
Since publication of this story, I have had time to ruminate on the year and its stories, and to see reader comments. What I think will turn out to be the most important birther story of 2014 will not be fully appreciated until 2015, and that story, which I covered last June, could be the straw that broke the birther’s back. I mean the story of the $100,000 that Sheriff Arpaio paid to a Seattle con man for information, information that I believe is false and contains the basis for Mike Zullo’s predictions of “universe shattering information.”
Don’t have a link, but for me the biggest birther story of the year was
Mike Zullo Promises Two Press Conferences with Arpaio By Late March 2014; Despite Many Excuses No Such Press Conferences Were Held All Year
Depending on whether you view Operation American Spring as a birther gathering or not – and Harry Riley and most of the people there were definitely birthers, especially including Mike Volin and company – then there’s gotta be a story there. There were between 10 and 30 million people expected, but between 9,999,100 and 29,999,100 of them were incapable of locating Washington, D.C. and hence failed to appear. Only about 900 showed up.
Maybe also the Umpteenth Birther Civil War — ★FALCON★ and Barry Soetoro ESQ vs. ScottKB1978, RewriteOurWorld, BornTexas and TheseTruths.
The big Obot news of the year, of course, was the Philly Meetup in mid-May, which was a frenetic series of training seminars on such things as Advanced Alinsky Tactics, NWO Implementation Strategies, Photoshop Skills for Forgers, and a whole bunch of others. Whew! My favorite was Techniques of ‘Trolling for Dummies’ for Obots, followed by How to Pretend Not to Be a Commie Muslim. Bizzy weekend!!
I sort of rolled that into the Peter Boyles incident. There were plenty of runners up for the top 10 list, including Lucas Smith’s incarceration in the Dominican Republic and Shrimpton’s conviction for making a false report. I also considered all the down time at various sites, including The Fogbow, the Cold Case Posse, and Orly Taitz.
You saw the article before I expanded it.
10 little birther fails all in a row. Nicely summarized Doc!
I agree with Foggy that the repeated delays in “A/Z Day” belong there, including the revelation of the apparent reason: the Phoenix New Times telling us that they had hooked up with Montgomery, and Sellin (?? needs checking to make sure I haven’t incorrectly remembered who did it) saying that he had been told that Zullo’s snipe hunt was about to be cancelled just before they did.
Given the HUGE amount false hope, misplaced faith, and wasted “debate” it’s generated, and the fact that it appears to have been killed by its own incompetence, I’d make it #1for the year, and bump Orly’s defeat (which, arguably, has more to do with her general looniness than her birfoonery in particular).
Thanks for the excellent reminder of what all the sound and fury of the birfoons really signifies 😉
The number 1 birther story of the year is, as it has been for the last six or seven years, that a mixed-race Moslem born in Kenya, who has Indonesian citizenship, whose Father was a Marxist anti-colonialist, and whose “wife” is some transgendered individual, is still President despite the best efforts of a few brave patriots. Heck, the kids in “Red Dawn” had more success with far less.
Everyone knows the truth, but no one will do anything about it. They are all on the payroll of the NWO and George Soros.
Happy New Year to all. I’m in Indonesia on business. If I can break loose some time, how about I find that school and get irrefutable proof of Obama’s citizenship?
I agree that Orly could have been bumped from the list.
My opinion is that Orly was wholly irrelevant to the birther meme in 2014. Perhaps that fact could itself have been a story down around the 13 or 14 mark maybe, I suppose.
Top ten lists are fun to argue about. Who’s on your top ten guitarists list? And what criteria do we use for the top ten… most influential? most technically talented? biggest selling? current impact?
Fun, fun, fun, ’til our daddy takes our T-bird away.
Isn’t there some spectacular failure by Meretricious Mario Apuzzo (“assisting” a gullible fool from Vermont) that ought to be on the list?
Tho I suppose Mario failing isn’t really newsworthy.
I’m still reeling from the revelation that Miki Booth is an Obot.
Dude. Far more important that you find the adoption certificate that proves he lost his American citizenship. The school document hasn’t been much help, since it says he was born in Hawaii.
Don’t let the fact that he was too old to be legally adopted in Indonesia become an obstacle. Don’t worry about the fact that, even if he WAS adopted, he wouldn’t have lost his American citizenship. You can do this!
Top 10 things NOT to say to a birther in 2015
10. Wong Kim Ark
9. Layers are more important in hens than in a PDF
8. A so-called investigation isn’t much of an investigation if they don’t even interview eye witnesses.
7. An 18 year-old pregnant woman does NOT travel to a strange country without her husband and away from her family/friends to have her first baby.
6. Someone who agrees with you does not make them an “expert”
5. The President is not worried or scared, or even cares about, keyboard warriors on the internet complaining about him.
4. Arpaio and Zullo will go to jail long before President Obama does.
3. birthers are so incompetent, their only court/hearing win was thrown away so they could present their evidence. And immediately went down in flames to an empty chair. Pulling defeat from the jaws of victory.
2. Any Day Now
And the number 1 thing Not to say to a birther in 2015
1. President Obama
Take the boat home.
The number 1 birther story of the year (in birther looneysville) is, as it has been for the last six or seven years (because we simply refuse to accept any evidence to the contrary), that a mixed-race Moslem (because we feel this should be a disqualifying factor to the presidency so we refuse to even learn how to spell it) born in Kenya (though in all this time we have failed to even come up with a sliver of proof), who has Indonesian citizenship (again something we have completely failed to prove), whose Father was a Marxist anti-colonialist (a pejorative we like to use even though not one of us could explain why we should support colonialism in any form), and whose “wife” is some transgendered individual (because what the hell… we are just twisted that way) , is still President despite the best efforts of a few brave patriots (read seditious assholes). Heck, the kids in “Red Dawn” had more success with far less.
Everyone knows the truth, but no one will do anything about it (because to date we have completely and utterly failed to prove our argument). They are all on the payroll of the NWO and George Soros (buzz words that we know will have know effect here, but you should see how is sends the conspiracy minded birthers into a froth).
Happy New Year to all. I’m in Indonesia on business (yes, people actually pay me, despite my own lunacy). If I can break loose some time, how about I find that school and get irrefutable proof of Obama’s citizenship? (And if I fail, I will politely ignore that I ever made the statement and still claim that he is an Indonesian citizen as a statement of fact)
Top 10 excuses that A/Z will not release their universe-shattering report.
10. Waiting for Falcon’s approval.
9. Waiting for Arpaio to figure out how to bleed the birthers for more donations from a useless report.
8. Zullo still looking for a definition of “evidence” that fits the crap he’s trying to pass off.
7. Xerox Workcentre tests proved Zullo was wrong to claim forgery, Arpaio now too busy arresting all Xerox Workcentres as co-conspirators to the non-forgery.
6. Zullo was saved, he can no longer lie to the birthers.
5. Arpaio is holding back the release till such time as he can use it as a “Get out of Jail Free” card once the court finds him in contempt.
4. Zullo lost it.
3. Hayes report is an analysis of Zullo’s handwriting, and he doesn’t want the world to know he’s a liar and a cheat.
2. Nobody wants to play cops and robbers anymore with Zullo.
And the number 1 excuse that A/Z will not release their universe-shattering report…
1. The dog ate it.
2014…….Those were birther days…..
http://www.youtube.com/embed/NHeM7l4UPcA?autoplay=1
Top 10 highlights of birthers’ 2014
10. Removal of the President from office.
9. Arrest and conviction of Foggy and Doc.
8. Armed march on DC and removal of Congress and the SCOTUS.
7. Arrest and conviction of over 60 million voters for voting for President Obama
6. Sheriff’s kits sent to all of Congress and SCOTUS, they can’t be ignored now.
5. Zullo/Gallups saying “Any day now” for the 6,342,891st time.
4. Discovering the First Lady is really a man…or wishing she was. Can’t always tell with them.
3. Nameless, faceless, existenceless VIPs have seen all their evidence and are ready to take over DC.
2. March release of the “universe-shattering” evidence
and the number 1 highlight of the birthers’ 2014 is
1. Their mom is letting them live in her basement rent-free for another year so they don’t have to go back to the padded room and special jacket.
Top 10 enemies of the birthers
10. Their friends and neighbors
9. The family pet
8. The Forefathers
7. The Media
6. The voting population
5. The Constitution
4. Congress
3. SCOTUS
2. President Obama
And the number 1 enemy of the birthers is
1. Themselves
Top 10 reasons birthers give for not marching on DC and removing the President.
10. Took a wrong turn at Albuquerque.
9. Not allowed out of the house after dark.
8. On the no-fly list.
7. No spell-checker for protest signs.
6. Went to the wrong Washington.
5. Cannot be an anonymous keyboard warrior if they show themselves.
4. Break out in hives if they actually DO anything.
3. Had to get a haircut
2. Too afraid to leave momma’s basement
And the number 1 reason that birthers give for not marching on DC
1. No clean underwear.
Top 10 birther victories for 2014
10.
9.
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1. Same as 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008
Interestingly, I drove by DC that day, but I didn’t see anything.
There was his SCOTUS brief in Paige v. Obama, and that’s about it.
http://www.obamaconspiracy.org/2014/03/apuzzo-reading-scotus-appeal-in-paige-case/
He lost.
As I go back to these stories, I sometimes find typos that I fix, and update them with things that have happened since, such as Apuzzo’s loss before the Supreme Court,
I could have included the DARPA obot story in the list. It was in 2014.
Yes! That’s one I was thinking about. I thought that was “important”.
Honorable mention should go to the fact that it was established beyond a shadow of a doubt that Orly’s “Harry Bounel” was actually Harry Boymel, and he never had Obama’s Social Security Number.
How the name “Harrison J. Bounel” got into a database remains a mystery. As far as anyone can determine, there is no record of anyone having that name.