Desperate to bring her kids home from Europe, where they live with her estranged husband, Kelly Rutherford is taking her plight to the people.
Kelly's We the People petition asking for the government to intervene in her epic six-year custody case reached the 100,000-signature mark.
That means the White House will review her request and issue a response ... the question is whether it will matter at all in achieving her goal.
The former Gossip Girl cast member said of the petition:
"I feel so blessed to have so much support for me and my children. I am optimistic that the Obama administration will step in and rescue my children."
Listing off some of her famous supporters, she added:
"I want to mention Ed Westwick, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Melanie Griffith, Selma Blair, Francis Fisher, Marianne Williamson and so many others."
Name-checking Kim Kardashian in a public plea to be taken seriously regarding a serious subject? Interesting strategy to say the least, Kelly.
Recently Rutherford lost her legal fight to return Hermes, 8, and Helena, 5, to the U.S. from France, where they live with her ex Daniel Giersch.
A California judge ruled that because his work visa had been revoked, the children would reside with him, and Rutherford must fly to go visit.
Rutherford, ironically, is believed to be responsible for keeping him out of the U.S. after she reported him for dealing drugs and weapons.
She adamantly denies this, and says that in their custody agreement, the judge told Giersch to reapply for his visa ... which he has not done.
So does Rutherford's petition have a shot? A State Department spokesperson anonymously said that U.S. intervention would be unlikely.
Rutherford's attorney, Wendy Murphy, says a California family court judge violated Kelly's constitutional rights and those of her children.
"How on earth can two utterly innocent and defenseless American children be shipped like luggage to live in a foreign country?" she said.
But a family lawyer not involved in the dispute argues that Rutherford would stand a much better chance in the international legal system.
Her petition may be a powerful public cry and earn a lot of attention, but this is not a kidnapping case and Giersch was granted custody.
In other words, it's an uphill battle at best for Kelly.
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