on november 25, 2008, daniel john essek of whitley county, kentucky, filed a "pro se" federal lawsuit in the kentucky eastern district court. the suit was originally filed as a freedom of information act case, but was amended to a judicial challenge to obama's qualifications for the office of president of the united states. essek sought to prevent the inauguration of barack obama on the grounds that obama was not a natural born citizen based on allegations that obama was born in kenya. district judge gregory f. van tatenhove dismissed the suit because of a lack of subject matter jurisdiction, stating that mr. essek's grievance was the generalized grievance of a voter, not a specific injury that would have granted him standing to sue.