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Apology Adds An Epilogue To Kelo Case [eminent domain]
Hartford Courant ^ | September 18, 2011 | JEFF BENEDICT

Posted on 09/19/2011 7:39:57 AM PDT by Daffynition

If a state Supreme Court judge approaches a journalist at a private dinner and says something newsworthy about an important decision, is the journalist free to publish the statement?

I faced that situation at a dinner honoring the Connecticut Supreme Court at the New Haven Lawn Club on May 11, 2010. That night I had delivered the keynote address on the U.S. Supreme Court's infamous 5-4 decision in Kelo v. New London. Susette Kelo was in the audience and I used the occasion to tell her personal story, as documented in my book "Little Pink House."

(Excerpt) Read more at courant.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Government; US: Connecticut
KEYWORDS: connecticut; davidsouter; eminentdomain; kelo; kelodecision; newlondon
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Synopsis of the Kelo v. New London lawsuit from the great Institute for Justice.


1 posted on 09/19/2011 7:40:05 AM PDT by Daffynition
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To: Daffynition
This is the vacant lot where the home of Susette Kelo once stood, city of New London, CT. Pfizer shut down the plant and moved, leaving weeds, glass, bricks, pieces of pipe and shingle splinters and broken lives.


2 posted on 09/19/2011 7:46:03 AM PDT by Daffynition (“There are no compacts between lions and men, and wolves and lambs have no concord.” ~ Homer)
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To: Daffynition

The Justice did nothing wrong.

Once the case is final, he can comment on whatever is public. Since the filings are public and the decision is public and the speech was public and the case was irrevocably decided, he can say whatever he wants.


3 posted on 09/19/2011 7:53:06 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: Daffynition

Just another example of what government will do to you, if left unchecked.


4 posted on 09/19/2011 7:53:38 AM PDT by brownsfan (Aldous Huxley and Mike Judge were right.)
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To: Daffynition

5 posted on 09/19/2011 7:56:03 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: brownsfan
Just another example of what government will do to you, if left unchecked if you don't shoot a few of them from time to time.

Sorry. But I like my version better. ;-)

6 posted on 09/19/2011 8:00:20 AM PDT by Dead Corpse (For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know.)
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To: brownsfan
Just another example of what government will do to you, if left unchecked.

As I recall, our "conservative" voices paid zero attention as Kelo was being fought. Liberty doesn't sell adjustable beds.

7 posted on 09/19/2011 8:01:53 AM PDT by Forgotten Amendments (Days .... Weeks ..... Months .....)
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To: Daffynition

That picture sums up the results of the efforts of the govt in most endeavors.


8 posted on 09/19/2011 8:02:21 AM PDT by Scotsman will be Free (11C - Indirect fire, infantry - High angle hell - We will bring you, FIRE)
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To: Daffynition
This (Kelo) has been one of the most infuriating and most frightening decisions in my lifetime. The justice's non-apology has me puzzled. This justice is certainly dancing all around his original decision, as well as his later "apology". His words spoken when walking back his apology to Susette Kelo are truy puzzling:
Whether the Kelo case has led to good statutory law is not a question for me or my court; so long as that law is constitutional, its merits are beyond the scope of our authority.
That coupled with the idea that they don't want to hear from the people affected -- just their attorneys -- makes me question their whole raison d'etre. Does he mean that their decisions are arbitrary? Not to be influenced by potential events? Or by the effects on current residents?
9 posted on 09/19/2011 8:03:07 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: brownsfan

I look at it as another instance of Crony Capitalism.


10 posted on 09/19/2011 8:04:06 AM PDT by The Working Man (The mantra for BO's reign...."No Child Left a Dime")
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To: Daffynition
This case is a stain on our legal system and its stench will never go away until justice is truly served and the injured parties made whole.

The real estate wrongly (and I maintain illegally) taken from its owners should be restored to them, their legal expenses repaid and all former owners given formal apologies for the pain and suffering they had to endure.

11 posted on 09/19/2011 8:05:06 AM PDT by GBA
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To: Daffynition

While this had an unhappy ending, I was, briefly involved in the MTOSA case in Long Branch, New Jersey, which had a happy ending. This is the pretty little working class neighborhood on the Jersey Shore that fought off a redevelopment-crazed Mayor and a rapacious developer. They won! Thanks in part to Suzette Kelo, the villianous Supreme Court and some decent people in America who were outraged by this story and fought it tooth and nail.

This is one area that I have found that conservatives, liberals and libertarians can come together. I’ve seen it happen.

Just wanted to put a happy spin on this terrible event in New London.


12 posted on 09/19/2011 8:16:51 AM PDT by miss marmelstein (Run, Sarah, Run! Please!)
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To: JoeProBono

The cartoon makes it look like Pfizers fault.

I don’t know how liable Pfizer is, but the corporation did not take this woman’s home away. The government did. Washington said, government is a force, like fire. Pfizer could have done nothing to this woman without government abuse.


13 posted on 09/19/2011 8:26:05 AM PDT by I still care (I miss my friends, bagels, and the NYC skyline - but not the taxes. I love the South.)
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To: Daffynition

“Had I known all of what you just told us, I would have voted differently.”

If the justice was impartially interpreting the law I can’t imagine what was in his presentation that would have changed the Justice’s vote.


14 posted on 09/19/2011 8:28:06 AM PDT by DManA
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To: afraidfortherepublic

“they don’t want to hear from the people affected — just their attorneys ...”

This reaks ... if the attorney does watch what they say a judge can push the bar to revoke their law license. Nothing like corruption. Keep the sheeple in their huts, out of sight and inaudible.

Most attorney’s don’t give a sh!t about their client, just their clients money.


15 posted on 09/19/2011 8:30:13 AM PDT by George from New England (escaped CT in 2006, now living north of Tampa)
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To: Forgotten Amendments

Speak for yourself. I was all over Kelo at the time and I read plenty of commentaries about it on conservative blogs.


16 posted on 09/19/2011 8:30:31 AM PDT by Sudetenland (There can be no freedom without God--What man gives, man can take away.)
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To: Daffynition

IMHO the Kelo case was the worst decision since Dred Scott.


17 posted on 09/19/2011 8:30:59 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: Daffynition

Noticed this in an associated article at the bottom:

Brooke Shields To Star In Movie Based On New London Eminent Domain Case

http://www.courant.com/entertainment/movies/hc-little-pink-house-0913-20110912,0,4912760.story?obref=obnetwork

Yes, they are making a lifetime movie! My guess is the evil corporation will be painted as evil as the government, because we all know which way the network leans. However, I remember when this case was decided I took a trip over to DU and they were just so PUZZLED as to why THEIR half of the court voted against this poor woman. Didn’t the left stand for the poor?

They didn’t get it. The left stands for a powerful government control. DU seemed very confused.


18 posted on 09/19/2011 8:31:48 AM PDT by I still care (I miss my friends, bagels, and the NYC skyline - but not the taxes. I love the South.)
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To: I still care
Pfizer's Role in Kelo Takings:
19 posted on 09/19/2011 8:37:18 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: Sudetenland
Speak for yourself. I was all over Kelo at the time and I read plenty of commentaries about it on conservative blogs.

"Blogs"! Where was talk radio? Fox News? Gay marriage was the big SCOTUS case for them. Kelo wasn't mentioned by them, or any politicians until after the verdict. Frankly, I think it's because the GOP establishment was all for it.

20 posted on 09/19/2011 8:46:26 AM PDT by Forgotten Amendments (Days .... Weeks ..... Months .....)
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