Posted on 02/16/2016 2:51:21 PM PST by Theo
WOW! If People Don't Understand Eminent Domain Abuse, They Will Now
Ted Cruz Goes Bare-Knuckled Against Donald Trump on Eminent Domain Abuse -- "A Pattern of Sleaze Stretching Back Decades"
They say the political gloves are about to come off in South Carolina, whose primary on February 20 and which is crucial to building momentum for the upcoming Super Tuesday or "SEC Primary" states on March 1.
"They" are correct, as one of the most brutal ads of the political campaign, thus far, has just been released by the Ted Cruz presidential campaign, an ad that CNN reports will be a "six-figure ad buy," running on TV in South Carolina next week.
The scathing campaign ad hits Donald Trump hard in the area of cronyism, buying favoritism from politicians, and for abusing the constitutional principle of eminent domain for private gain.
Moreover, the ad powerfully and directly explains eminent domain by using the example of Vera Coking, an elderly woman whose house Trump wanted to destroy, using the power of big government, so that the bombastic billionaire could build a limousine parking lot for one of his casinos.
Trump's abuse of eminent domain wasn't eminent domain at all, the ad contends, nor was it used for "public" use, as is required in the U.S. Constitution, but instead was an attempt to line Trump's own pockets.
"Vera Coking's home was all she had left but it stood in Donald Trump's way and the limousine parking lot he wanted for his casino," the narrator in the Ted Cruz-approved ad says. "To him, she was a nobody."
The ad shows an exchange between free market advocate John Stossel and Trump discussing the situation during an interview at the time:
JOHN STOSSEL: "You're bullying these people out because..."
DONALD TRUMP: "Excuse me. This is a government case. This not Donald Trump."
STOSSEL: "Yes it's Donald Trump. It's you and your cronies in government working together."
"I offered her a lot of money out of this -- my heart," Trump then told Stossel in the ad.
"Heart? He doesn't have no heart, that man." ~ Vera Coking in describing Donald Trump
"Trump bankrolled politicians to steamroll the little guy -- a pattern of sleaze stretching back decades," the ad contends. "Trump uses power for personal gain. Imagine the damage he could as president."
Donald Trump is correct in that eminent domain is in the Constitution, and is authorized for "public use," like highways, public buildings, national defense readiness, etc. That our Founding Fathers had "casinos" in mind is absurd and he knows it.
The ad is especially difficult to refute considering Trump's well-known statements, bragging that he has bought off politicians for personal favors.
I want Keystone, too and I agree with eminent domain. It’s those other cases I mentioned.....where there is absolutely “0” compensation.
That has to be quite recent. Was there a story with it?
I found the 2014 article.
Trumpbots don’t care. Their messiah will protect them. Even as he gives his blessing for big companies to confiscate their property. The Donald will provide for them in their time of need.
“... Little, Bitty, Tiny Theo.”
What’s with the personal insults? Having a trumpertantrum?
No, not the thing at all.
Hard to believe that China is more of a free country than America concerning Eminent Domain. You'd think a whole amendment devoted to simply not housing soldiers in a home in time of war would have been a good indication you can't destroy houses for a mall.
Where are all the other cases when Trump abused eminent domain? You know, the ones that made Trump rich?
If it’s so much a part of Trump’s operation, as Cruz would have you to believe, where are they?
Nope.
That’s just what I think of you after watching you repeatedly hide behind someone bigger than you.
A truly pitiful display on your part, little guy.
Another egregious example of Eminent Domain Abuse committed by Jeb "girly boy" Bush. Under the guise of Eminent Domain he destroyed 1000's of private properties and refuse to even compensate the homeowners. This was the largest private property confiscation via eminent domain in the history of the Florida.
During a period from mid-2000 to January 2006 the Florida Department of Agriculture, at the direction of Governor Jeb Bush, began a program to seize and destroy citrus trees from Florida residents. The program was essentially FLDA government authorized jackboots entering the yards and properties of Florida residents and destroying private property "without compensation" for their loss. Any homeowners who did not willingly comply were subject to arrest by law enforcement.
In total the state destroyed about 660,000 trees of private property owners. The Florida State Supreme court ruled the entire process was unconstitutional government eminent domain overreach, and thousands of Florida residents sued the state.
The lawsuits have dragged through the courts for almost a decade, and recently hundreds of millions in compensation have been awarded to the home owners in Lee, Palm Beach, Broward, Orange and Miami-Dade counties.
http://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-conservative/2016/02/jeb-bush-as-florida-governor-used-eminent-domain-without-compensation-see-lawsuit-3104366.html
Ironic that Cruz is making a big deal about a single incident involving Trump but has not uttered a peep about Jeb's abuse of eminent domain which effected 1000's of homeowners.
Ironic that Cruz is making a big deal about a single incident involving Trump but has not uttered a peep about Jeb’s abuse of eminent domain which effected 1000’s of homeowners.
But Cruz is all about consistency and principles. LOL
The Kochs and others have done it that way, without eminent domain. It may be costly, but it’s the right way to do it.
Can you show on a map how to run the full pipeline and not go through anyone’s land. If so, that might really get you a job if the project is done.
I don’t need to show you. They’ve been built without using eminent domain. It costs money to do it that way, but the Kochs, among others, have done it. So it can be done.
Can’t do it without crossing some private owned land and that is why you can address the issue. Keystone can’t zigzag enough to avoid all private land and you know it.
You can buy the land or buy a right of way. There are other ways to do it as well.
You don’t have to use eminent domain.
I have never heard of eminent domain used when the owner was willing to sell so your point is moot. No one wastes money on a court case when an owner will sell or grant right of way.
No, you’re missing the point. You don’t need to use eminent domain. You can use other ways to acquire the right of way to build projects like that. It’s been done.
Baloney. The US track for Keystone will have to cross private land. You can play like you could run it zigzag coast to coast if you want, but it won’t make it true. Land owners for the most part will accept equitable compensation. If they refuse, you have offered no backup except to zigzag. You are simply wrong.
The little old lady case in NJ you all cry about turned down millions that would have set her and family for life in order to live surrounded by hideous buildings and no privacy. In the end family sold for $500,000, hardly anything especially with legal fees. And Trump walked away long before that. Who was the ultimate loser.
If you think your property is really yours, don’t pay your property taxes and see who owns it. After the government auctions it you will get zip.
You don’t always need eminent domain to get rights of way or other necessities, as the Kochs and others have shown. Are you missing the point on purpose?
The Kochs have rerouted and rerouted again when people wouldn’t accept their offers. The people behind Keystone can do the same.
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