WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a lawyer who has been in the forefront of the challenge to President Barack Obama’s citizenship.

The high court on Monday did not comment in refusing to hear the appeal filed by California lawyer Orly Taitz. She was contesting a $20,000 fine for filing what a federal judge determined was a frivolous lawsuit.

The suit was filed for Army Capt. Connie Rhodes, who sought to avoid deployment to Iraq by claiming Obama wasn’t born in the United States and thus, is ineligible to be president and commander in chief.

“Birthers” claim Obama cannot prove he was born in the United States. Many of the skeptics contend he was born in Kenya — his father’s home country. Obama was born in Hawaii.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.