yup, and the law suits haven't even started yet...
Posted on 06/28/2008 12:10:24 PM PDT by Saundra Duffy
Schleicher County, home of the Yearning For Zion Ranch, doesn’t feel it should be responsible for the enormous costs of April’s raid on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints compound.
Kerr County agrees.
This week, Kerr County commissioners approved a resolution in support of Schleicher County that asks the state to pick up the tab on the Child Protective Services investigation against the polygamist sect.
“We are asking the state to indemnify our county,” said Schleicher County judge Johnny Griffin. “Not one person from my county was involved, other than the sheriff who received the initial call from the CPS hotline.”
And of course it's just beginning . . .$14,000,000 so far . . . just peanuts compared to what the final tab will be.
Classic. Our government at work. Look for Texas to fob the cost off on the federal government next.
The head of TX CPS “retired” but of course he says it has nothing to do with the raid and roundup. Turn tail and run. Trying to escape the fallout. He’ll be long gone before it’s all said and done.
The FLDS had every right to fight the system. I just wish the power-hungry bureaucrats would be held accountable. I’m pretty sure Gov. Perry is toast.
Again, my husband says it’s always been about the ranch property. The FLDS paid $700,000 for it, made all those improvements, and now it’s worth millions - not just for the land but for its location. Location is everything, don’t you know.
Agree, they should have to eat it. Only that lesson will help temper future decisions to do stuff just to get in the papers.
City, county and municipalities all receive federal funds in one way or another. Even school districts. Even some water districts. So in reality we are all going to pay through the nose for the state of texas screw up. They went charging in there with no evidence, trampled the Constitution, deprived American citizens of their rights based on a false report.
I think the TX bureaucrats who dreamed up the raid and roundup actually thought it would be a very popular move and they’d look like heros. Unfortunately, we Americans found out exactly what happened - we saw the raid in action thanks to the FLDS not rolling over and letting themselves be completely destroyed. I am thankful the truth of what the TX authorities did came to light for the whole world to see.
It’s like the Branch Davidian raid, without the bodies.
I love the Constitution and believe that all Americans have rights under it, including every FLDS man woman and child. I am not defending the FLDS, I am defending the Constitution.
Its not good policy to let the amount of money decide whether or not to pursue a case.
The TX authorities used a TANK to penetrate the Branch Davidian home. I just sat there in horror and watched the military type raid. I could not believe it! All the children dead.
Now you have the same kind of scenario perpetrated on the FLDS, only this time, there were competent lawyers and the FLDS people went public and fought back. (I never thought I would be so thankful for lawyers.)
“Its not good policy to let the amount of money decide whether or not to pursue a case.”
We are not talking about money; we are talking about Constitutional law. If you think this is only about money, we are on different pages. Sorry to bother you.
I for one do not like my hard-earned taxes thrown down a poop hole by incompetent power-hungry bigoted bureaucrats. Remember, please, this whole nightmare started with a false report and just went downhill after that.
“Again, my husband says it’s always been about the ranch property. The FLDS paid $700,000 for it, made all those improvements, and now it’s worth millions - not just for the land but for its location. Location is everything, don’t you know.”
You have quoted your husband’s theory many, many times on this forum. Not one shred of proof. Just poor-little-victims pro-FLDS hype.
I’m interested in seeing what comes out in the wash. I’ve seen no evidence that the motivation was the gaining of property in some dust corner of Texas. The cost of this litigation puts the lie to that. Some bargain that was if it were true.
My theory is that they had a genuine, gut-driving concern for the welfare of the children on this ranch, and felt at the time that they had a legal mandate to do something about it. Simple as that, but you would never consider that — no, never!
Thanks for posting this Saundra. I thought about posting it yesterday but got busy. The Daily Times is our home town newspaper. *OOPS* I better not say that or the Washington Post and Danielle Allen will track me down and take away my keyboard. ;o)
Maybe FLDS will settle its claims against the county for all the land in the county. Just take it away from its current owners under eminent domain, and give it to FLDS. Of course they would still have claims against the state, CPS, and the individuals...
You believe that all Constitutional law is settled? How would you know until its tested?
And the title of the article is about money and how much its costing. And you did gripe about the cost in the first reply to the article which you posted.
“I’ve seen no evidence that the motivation was the gaining of property in some dust corner of Texas.”
And you never will because the whole thing blew up in their face(s).
Info received from a friend regarding the FLDS ranch property:
Eldorado - its location is right on the intersections of Hwys 190 and 277, just 10 miles North of major rte, U.S.10. Nearest populated town that I see on the map is San Angelo, Tx. some 60 miles due north of Eldorado. It appears to be right in the path of the planned NAFTA superhighway, which is supposed to connect to a major seaport to be built on the Mexican coast, just across the inlet from Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Baja, Calif (Mexican territory). Perhaps to use the town of Mazatlan as the hub of shipping.
yup, and the law suits haven't even started yet...
The Daily Times - I was a little surprised at the writing style for this piece. They used a little old-fashioned journalistic license to illustrate the anger of the county officials. I like it. I love it. I want some more of it. Thanks.
Liquidate their 401Ks and sell their homes to reduce the County debt. It was these people and not "The County," after all that thought it would be okay to trammel the Constitutional rights in question.
It's not a harsh solution. It's nothing worse than they would have happily done to the FLDS folks.
I don't actually have to see a bear to know that a bear made the tracks I find in the woods.
If I stand back & look at this, one very plausible cause is that someone in or near CPS, maybe even in another county looked at the FLDS ranch and decided that if he could buy it a a fire sale price he could make a nice profit.
His thinking goes along the lines of: Child abuse allegations--raid--kangaroo court hearings--asset seizure--asset sale--he buys ranch at below market price. If he can carry it off quickly he could easily get away with it.
Now, this isn't the only possible explanation, but all of the others I have seen require us to believe in greater mass idiocy in Texas than I believe really exists.
You’re mixed up about how eminent domain works. It’s the government who confiscates businesses, homes and land from American citizens, not a group like the FLDS. But you may be on to something here - maybe the TX authorities were planning to confiscate the ranch through eminent domain and it would have been easier if the kids were dumped in foster homes all across the state to keep the parents running all over the state, unable to defend their homes.
Again, from a friend regarding the ranch property:
Eldorado - its location is right on the intersections of Hwys 190 and 277, just 10 miles North of major rte, U.S.10. Nearest populated town that I see on the map is San Angelo, Tx. some 60 miles due north of Eldorado..It appears to be right in the path of the planned NAFTA superhighway, which is supposed to connect to a major seaport to be built on the Mexican coast, just across the inlet from Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Baja, Calif (Mexican territory). Perhaps to use the town of Mazatlan as the hub of shipping.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I have some swamp land in FL. Interested?
FLDS and the NAFTA Superhighway:
http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/flds-raid-and-the-nafta-super-highway-by-devvy/
Earlier this month, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reviewed more that 400 pages of state documents and determined the tab associated with the roundup of more than 460 children had topped $14 million.
That figure did not include invoices for overtime, travel and professional services that had yet to be submitted.
That's over $30,000 a head. They should have just booked them all on a nice world cruise instead of piling them in the convention center. It would have been cheaper.
Nice link. What’s your point? Again its not good public policy to use “cost” as the only deciding factor on whether to pursue a case.
So CPS lost at the TX Supreme Court. I say CPS should take it further and see what happens.
False imprisonment for one - they held adult women agaist their will. That is the one I would pursue first. Imagine if you were one of those adult women - one showed her DL and they still kept her against her will. Two adult women gave birth while in custody with CPS and law enforcement officials watching. As a woman, I am outraged over that! And the FLDS children treated like little helpless sheep herded up at gunpoint, ripped right out of the arms of their mothers, dumped in a coliseum, and then dumped in foster homes all over the state. Think of the innocent FLDS children who will suffer from PTSD for the rest of their lives! Yes, I am angry. I am angry that this could happen in my America - and all on a false report in the first place.
And so many FReepers marched in lock step with the media. Unbelievable. Many FReepers believed every lie told by TX authorities about the FLDS and broadcast to the whole world by a corrupt media. Yes, I am angry.
No, actually I am perfectly right about how eminent domain works.
In Kelo the SC said it was OK for the government to seize land and give it to developers if it served any public purpose, such as increasing the tax base.
Certainly if this is allowable, the government seizing land from other citizens and then giving it to the FLDS for the "public purpose" of relieving itself from a crushing debt burden, must be allowable...
“I say CPS should take it further and see what happens.”
The head of TX CPS resigned - or is “retiring” - so there will be a new person to try and mop up the mess. I doubt very seriously they will pursue this any further.
The grand jury adjourned and won’t reconvene until later next month. CPS lied about the FLDS boys with broken bones and about the boys being sexually molested - remember? CPS also lied about underage women in custody who turned out to be adults, held against their will.
I do not trust the government and I would especially not trust CPS.
The ranch property is standing in the way of progress and some big money people could turn it into a gold mine overnight (NAFTA superhighway).
As a Mormon, I wish they would sentence the men to DEATH on child rape charges. And I want them to put the Women in jail for life!!!! Throw the book at the them!!!!
And as a Freeper, I wish you wouldn’t display that extremist opinion.
My guess would be that someone locally stood to gain enough to make it all happen, maybe at the behest of developers or simply hostility to outsiders;
probably both.
Whoever stood to gain should be examined to determine their roles in initiating the raid...and start determining liability from that starting point.
(I find the town council meetings from Blazing Saddles running through my mind's eye; including the gibberish and the group willingness to follow someone else's lead.)
In addition, if collusion and/or ulterior motives can be determined, I'd think that any or all government officials involved would be up for charges of misuse of their offices. Then, those officials might be stripped of protections for 'just doing their jobs' and FLDS could follow up criminal charges and sue anyone they darn well pleased.
(PS: I'm not slamming Texas - I like the place, but small communities aren't all roses and white picket fences.)
(PPS: 'Any or all government officials' probably excludes the Child Welfare organization - they seriously need some constraints but their absurd actions are probably the result of structural assumption of guilt and lack of oversight.)
I’m proud to say I opposed the State of Texas and CPS in this issue on Free Republic from the beginning.
Well, I was for due process as well, but make sure you got your ducks in a row and go after them as hard as you can. They broke the law and should be punished.
Do you remember how the State of Texas told us that the reason they were going after the Branch Davidians was because of child abuse.
The TX authorities used a TANK to penetrate the Branch Davidian home.
Some more lies by Saundra Duffy. The state of Texas didn’t conduct the raid or enter the property with a tank. That was all conducted by the US Government, ATF, FBI.....
One can defend the constitution without condoning bad behavior. If your neighbor shoots someone, that doesn’t mean you don’t have the right to bear arms.
Who broke the law? TX, as a state, or TX CPS, in particular? Do we sentence the entire state of TX to death, or just the government?
If you know of child rape in the “inner city” report it.
You'll have to prove that absurd accusation. The Mormons I know wouldn't mind at all for the State of Texas to finally put an end to the FLDS nonsense once and for all.
The state is handling the criminal prosecutions. I’m fine with the state reimbursing the county for their costs.
It will be money well spent if it sends this criminal family back to Utah.
And I hope Utah will continue their investigations and prosecutions as well.
I blame the FLDS for the cost, but if they shut the place down, I’ll be happy to pay my share for getting rid of them.
Don't need the highway to make worth while to own
put a 12 foot chain link fence around do a little work tuning the living quarters into motel rooms the temple into a club house and turn loose some exotic game and allow people to come and hunt for a fee.
they have them all over Texas and from what i read they make a fortune.
“You’ll have to prove that absurd accusation.”
Read Saundra Duffy’s posts - for starters.
they have them all over Texas and from what i read they make a fortune.
I’ve never understood why someone would pay big money to go kill some exotic animal that has basically been pen raise/fed and placed in an enclosure so you can find it and draw a bead. But you are correct in that you’ll find them all around and photos of big names including some politicians having their pictures taken with their kill.
“...sentence the men to DEATH on child rape charges. And I want them to put the Women in jail for life!!!! Throw the book at the them!!!!”
I find that very odd, especially since there is no proof of any wrongdoing on the part of the FLDS. There has been no trial, no jury, and TX authorities got caught with their pants down for rounding up all the children.
This is America where people are innocent until proven guilty.
“My guess would be that someone locally stood to gain enough to make it all happen, maybe at the behest of developers or simply hostility to outsiders;
probably both.”
I don’t know but I think it’s mighty suspicious that they used Baptist buses to haul off all those kids. There’s plenty of bad blood to go around.
Not my idea of hunting either.
But as long as there are people who want a head on the wall so they can tell their friends how they got it the hunting ranches will make money.
By the way they usually do not admit they shot it in a pen
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.