Attorney Mario Apuzzo, on behalf of Charles Kerchner and other plaintiffs, sued Obama, the U.S. Congress, Dick Cheney, and Nancy Pelosi in January 2009 alleging Obama was ineligible to be president, and that Congress failed to verify Obama's ineligibility. A federal district court in New Jersey dismissed the suit, ruling the plaintiffs lacked standing. On July 3, 2010, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, citing Berg v. Obama, affirmed the dismissal, and ordered Apuzzo to show cause why he should not be sanctioned for initiating a frivolous lawsuit. Apuzzo's subsequent request for a hearing was denied, but the order to show cause was discharged. On November 29, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court declined, without comment, to hear the case.
In December 2008, Steve Ankeny and Bill Kruse filed a "Petition for Extraordinary Writ of Prohibition" against the Governor of Indiana to block "any popular votes for Barack Obama and Joe Biden for the appointment as Chief Electors [sic]." A hearing was held, and on March 16, 2009, the Governor's motion to dismiss was granted. The Plaintiffs appealed the ruling to the Indiana Court of Appeals, which upheld it on November 12, 2009.The appellate decision addressed the question of whether Obama's eligibility was affected by his father's lack of U.S. citizenship, saying that "[b]ased upon the language of Article II, Section 1, Clause 4 and the guidance provided by Wong Kim Ark, we conclude that persons born within the borders of the United States are “natural born Citizens” for Article II, Section 1 purposes, regardless of the citizenship of their parents."
Alan Keyes and Markham Robinson, chairman of the American Independent Party and a California candidate for president elector, filed a lawsuit on November 14, 2008, requesting that Obama provide documentation that he is a natural born citizen of the United States. Keyes also said in an interview that he would not be in favor of amending this requirement of the Constitution. Keyes asserts that statements by Obama's paternal step-grandmother "raise doubts as to whether Barack Obama is in fact a natural born U.S. citizen, eligible to be president."California Superior Court Judge Michael P. Kenny sustained, without leave to amend, Secretary Bowen's and Obama's demurrers on Keyes' petition for writ of mandate and granted Obama's motion to quash the subpoena. Keyes was found not to be entitled to the records he sought, thereby declaring the case moot. The California Court of Appeal affirmed the dismissal on October 25, 2010.
On October 31, 2008, Greenwich resident and health-food-store owner Cort Wrotnowski filed a suit in the Connecticut Supreme Court challenging the authenticity of presidential candidate Obama's Hawaii birth certificate. The suit was dismissed after initial hearings.Wrotnowski appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court on November 25, contending that the British citizenship of Obama's father made the president-elect ineligible to assume office. Leo Donofrio, whose earlier case against Obama's eligibility had been turned down, assisted Wrotnowski's Supreme Court appeal. The request for stay or injunction was denied without comment on December 15, 2008. Thomas Goldstein, who has argued numerous cases before the court and covers Supreme Court cases, commented that "The law has always been understood to be, if you are born here, you're a natural born citizen. And that is particularly true in this case, when you have a U.S. citizen parent like Barack Obama's mother".
In October 2008, Leo Donofrio, an attorney from New Jersey, filed suit to challenge the eligibility of Obama, Republican presidential candidate John McCain (see details here) and the Socialist Workers Party candidate Roger Calero. Donofrio asserted that all three candidates were ineligible: Obama due to having dual U.S. and British nationality at birth (the latter via Obama's father), McCain due to being born in the Panama Canal Zone, and Calero due to allegedly still having Nicaraguan citizenship.Donofrio was not among those who claimed Obama might have been born outside Hawaii. Also, Donofrio did not challenge the fact that Obama is a U.S. citizen and instead challenged only whether Obama is a natural-born citizen.The case was referred to the Supreme Court by Justice Clarence Thomas. When the case reached the United States Supreme Court on December 8, 2008, the Court declined without comment to hear the case.
Upon taking office as Governor of Hawaii in December 2010, Neil Abercrombie announced that he plans to use the office to discredit the conspiracy theories surrounding Barack Obama's birth. Abercombie strong feelings about the matter are due to several reasons. First, on a personal level, he knew Barack Obama's parents, Barack Obama, Sr. and Ann Dunham, at the time of Barack Obama Jr.'s birth as he was Barack Obama Sr's teaching assistant at the University of Hawaii. Secondly, as the leader of all Hawaiians, he feels obligated to fight the conspiracy theories as the conspiracy theories leave the impression with Hawaiians that to be born in Hawaii is different than being born in the Contiguous United States.Prior to being governor of Hawaii, Abercombie was a member of the United States House of Representatives where he sponsored a bill recognizing Hawaii's 50th anniversary for statehood in which he inserted language into the bill declaring Hawaii to be the birthplace of President Obama.
At a townhall meeting in Metairie, Louisiana on July 11, 2010, David Vitter responded to a question about Barack Obama's birth certificate saying "I personally don't have standing to bring litigation in court, but I support conservative legal organizations and others who would bring that to court. I think that is the valid and most possibly effective grounds to do it." His campaign did not provide any additional comments on the matter.
酒や冗談が大好きと一見不真面目そうだが、いざというときは自らの命を捨ててまでも見知らぬ人を助けるといった義俠心の持ち主。その上、妹弟子である岳霊珊をいつまでも忘れられない一途な性格の人物である。師匠の岳不群とは異なり、誰彼構わず至る所で交友関係を結び、自分から厄介事を招いてしまう問題児ではあるが、高度の道徳観と忠義心の持ち主でもあり、少林寺の方證大師が、誰にも伝えようとしなかった易筋経を令狐冲の怪我のため厭わずに差し出そうとしたほどである。特に女性関係には非常に誠実で、後に相思相愛となる任盈盈を一途に愛し、他の女性達とは一定の距離を置いて接した。このため、猜疑心の強い彼女が全く嫉妬しなかったほどだった。 金庸も、令狐冲や楊過のような人物が大好きだと自ら言っている。