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Hotel Proposed on Justice Souter's New Hampshire Property?
Netlore Archive:  Emailed press release details a proposal to seize Supreme Court Justice David Souter's home under the power of emiment domain and build a hotel on the property

Description:  Email flier
Circulating since:  June 2005
Status:  True (publicity stunt?)
Analysis:  See below
 


Email example contributed by Dusty H., 29 June 2005:

Weare, New Hampshire (PRWEB) 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.

Justice Souter's vote in the "Kelo vs. City of New London" decision allows city governments to take land from one private owner and give it to another if the government will generate greater tax revenue or other economic benefits when the land is developed by the new owner.

On Monday June 27, Logan Darrow Clements, 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. This is the present location of Mr. Souter's home.

Clements, CEO of Freestar Media, LLC, points out that the City of Weare will certainly gain greater tax revenue and economic benefits with a hotel on 34 Cilley Hill Road than allowing Mr. Souter to own the land.

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."

Clements indicated that the hotel must be built on this particular piece of land because it is a unique site being the home of someone largely responsible for destroying property rights for all Americans.

"This is not a prank" said Clements, "The Towne of Weare has five people on the Board of Selectmen. If three of them vote to use the power of eminent domain to take this land from Mr. Souter we can begin our hotel development."

Clements' plan is to raise investment capital from wealthy pro-liberty investors and draw up architectural plans. These plans would then be used to raise investment capital for the project. Clements hopes that regular customers of the hotel might include supporters of the Institute For Justice and participants in the Free State Project among others.


Comments:  True, though no such press release has appeared on PRWeb.com. A similar document on the home page of Freestar Media LLC announced a proposal by Logan Darrow Clements to seize Justice Souter's New Hampshire property to build "The Lost Liberty Hotel." Though Clements insists the proposal is serious, it's unclear whether it can actually amount to much more than a symbolic gesture protesting the Supreme Court's recent decision in the case of "Kelo v City of New London." See links below for more information.


Email This Article


Sources and further reading:

Hotel Targets Souter's Home
Concord Monitor, 29 June 2005

Eminent Domain This! Justice's Farm Is Target
Associated Press, 29 June 2005

Freestar Media Press Release
Freestar Media LLC, 27 June 2005


Last updated: 06/29/05


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