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Pfizer Abandons Stolen Property in Kelo Case
After relying on government to seize property for its use, leading to the Supreme Court battle in Kelo, Pfizer intends to abandon the town of New London. Reports the New York Times:
From the edge of the Thames River in New London, Conn., Michael Cristofaro surveyed the empty acres where his parents' neighborhood had stood, before it became the crux of an epic battle over eminent domain.
"Look what they did," Mr. Cristofaro said on Thursday. "They stole our home for economic development. It was all for Pfizer, and now they get up and walk away."
That sentiment has been echoing around New London since Monday, when Pfizer, the giant drug company, announced it would leave the city just eight years after its arrival led to a debate about urban redevelopment that rumbled through the United States Supreme Court, and reset the boundaries for governments to seize private land for commercial use.
Pfizer said it would pull 1,400 jobs out of New London within two years and move most of them a few miles away to a campus it owns in Groton, Conn., as a cost-cutting measure. It would leave behind the city's biggest office complex and an adjacent swath of barren land that was cleared of dozens of homes to make room for a hotel, stores and condominiums that were never built.
Well, easy come, easy go when it comes to politicians grabbing people's property and money. The good news is that many states changed their laws after Kelo to make it harder for government to steal land for private profit. In that sense Susette Kelo believes that she didn't lose her home entirely in vain. Reported the Time: "In all honesty, I'm not happy about what happened to me," Ms. Kelo said. But, she added, "With 43 states changing their laws, in that sense I feel we did some good for people across the country."
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warrington| 11.14.09 @ 5:03AM
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warrington| 11.14.09 @ 5:03AM
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Brubaker| 11.14.09 @ 7:23AM
Those whose homes were stolen paid a terrible price for the greed of their elected officials. Now, the remaining citzens of New London, who could have prevented the theft of their neighbors homes, will get to share in their grief.
Jimbo| 11.14.09 @ 9:25AM
Does anyone know if the final price the Kelo homeowners received is higher than what today's market value would have been? I suspect that Pfizer's legalistic land grab ended up costing them more than they figured and benefiting their victims. That would be a strange turn of justice indeed!
Miles Mueller| 11.14.09 @ 10:20AM
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You rat bastards in New London get exactly what you deserve for stealing that property to support your greedy ambitions! I hope your city and the sorry politicians go broke over this!
Yosemeti Sam| 11.14.09 @ 10:21AM
Simple recourse - a vigilante posse to deal with the
enabling SCOTUS members who've paved the way
for this infamy of - whimsical abrogation of civil constitutional rights!
Richard Baker| 11.14.09 @ 11:18AM
Fellow Americans:
Raise Hell against the tyranny of government. Never stop. Our elected leaders seem to think that we're idiots who need control. To Hell with that. Sic Semper Tyrannis.
Oldefarte| 11.14.09 @ 11:49AM
Cities like New Haven benefit from this situation and their citizens' outcries are false. No doubt, before their government seized their property, most/all of the houses were blighted/delapidated and needed to be destroyed [or were in such bad shape that the only possible use would be as indigent/slum housing]. They now have a large building [and Pfizer has spent thousands of renovative dollars within it neighborhood] which can always be put to some economic use through renovative construction. I have a feeling that the WHOLE TRUTH about this situation is NOT BEING TOLD here!!!!!!!!!
Quin| 11.14.09 @ 12:27PM
One correction is in order. None of the land that was seized against owners' wishes by eminent domain was used for Pfizer's facility. The land was seized for private development AROUND Pfizer that the town politicians wanted to foster. Blame the politicians, not Pfizer. Eminent domain abuse is terrible. Blaming the wrong entity for eminent domain abuse is wrong, too.
Dixie Pixie| 11.14.09 @ 2:04PM
BAAAAAAAAA HHHHAAAAAA HHHHAAAAAA
Obama has scored a major victory over Big Pharmaceuticals by running Pfizer out of New London. A great evil has been crushed by Obama-Care. The city elders must be celebrating the victory by the leadership in the White House. Now they do not have to worry about the filthy lucre created by homeowner taxes. Now there are lovely grass lots producing nothing. Obama rules with Hope and Small Change. Karma is so much fun.
BAAAAAAAAA HHHHAAAAAA HHHHAAAAAA
SoCon| 11.14.09 @ 2:17PM
Big Government and Big Business are both enemies of the people.
Pingback| 11.14.09 @ 3:10PM
Court Opinion Highlights Importance of Policy Language : Property … | Insurance Finan links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Osamas Pajamas| 11.15.09 @ 12:36AM
Whe Uncle Sam [any level of government] hijacks your property, "scorched earth" is the best solution ---- after you squeeze their cojones for every cent you can get. Spread nuclear waste on the property, infest the buildings with every organism or contaminant you can think of. Seizing private property for commercial development is absurd, and "nothing" in the Constitution authorizes this violation of individual rights. If it gets down to a choice between "the Constitution" and "the government" --- a minor conundrum for Thomas Jefferson --- it may be necessary to erase the government --- and "start over." These bloodsuckers won't like that, but --- pixx on them.
Osamas Pajamas| 11.15.09 @ 12:37AM
When Uncle Sam [any level of government] hijacks your property, "scorched earth" is the best solution ---- after you squeeze their cojones for every cent you can get. Spread nuclear waste on the property, infest the buildings with every organism or contaminant you can think of. Seizing private property for commercial development is absurd, and "nothing" in the Constitution authorizes this violation of individual rights. If it gets down to a choice between "the Constitution" and "the government" --- a minor conundrum for Thomas Jefferson --- it may be necessary to erase the government --- and "start over." These bloodsuckers won't like that, but --- pixx on them.