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June 29, 2005

Justice is served?

Last week I wrote about the appalling ruling by the Supreme Court which perverts eminent domain's constitutional basis and clear purpose.

To recap: a narrow majority of the SCOTUS ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses against their will for private development on the theory that the resulting higher tax revenue justifies it and meets the 5th amendment's stipulation of "public."

Justice Souter may be regretting his participation in that ruling as I type these words.

A reader at INDC Journal posted a link to this Freestar Media report:

Could a hotel be built on the land owned by Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter? A new ruling by the Supreme Court which was supported by Justice Souter himself itself might allow it. A private developer is seeking to use this very law to build a hotel on Souter's land.

Two days ago Logan Clements, CEO of Freestar, faxed a request to Chip Meany the code enforcement officer of the Towne of Weare, New Hampshire seeking to start the application process to build a hotel on 34 Cilley Hill Road. As it happens that property is where Justice Souter's house stands... for now. Obviously a hotel on that same parcel of land has the potential to generate more tax revenue for the Towne of Weare than Justice Souter is paying.

Clements claims to be deadly serious about wanting to build a hotel where Souter's house stands. But, his sarcasm is hard to miss when he describes this future hotel:

The proposed development, called "The Lost Liberty Hotel" will feature the "Just Desserts Café" and include a museum, open to the public, featuring a permanent exhibit on the loss of freedom in America. Instead of a Gideon's Bible each guest will receive a free copy of Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged."

I'm skeptical of the hypothesis that somehow two wrongs make one right. But this seems pretty damn appropriate to me, even so.

Posted by Kevin at June 29, 2005 08:44 PM