Real Estate & Property Law

Bulldozed- A must read

By Alan Ackerman

The Facts

The ULTIMATE.  Carla Main, an investigative reporter, wrote a riveting book
about the abuse of eminent domain power in Freeport, Texas.  Any reasoanble reader would find nothing defamatory as to any individual. The book, Bulldozed, dealt with the Texas oil baron who came back to 'redevelop' in his hometown (for profit).  The writer (likely correctly) perceived this to misuse of the eminent domain power to be an attempt to ‘make a buck'.  So now, after he uses the condemnation power for his personal public use, the oilman sues the writer, Carla Main, and a brilliant legal scholar, Professor Richard Epstein of the University of Chicago Law School, for besmirching his reputation.

Honestly,  the First Amendment still does allow Freedom of Speech, no?  But
if the Fifth Amendment protection that private property should be taken for
public use no longer has validity in Texas, maybe we should all throw in the
towel and forget about the First Amendment too!  Realistically, we should all hope the courts make short decision dismissing the vexatious lawsuit against the writer of an outstanding book, which allows truth to be more interesting than fiction.
Bulldozed, by Carla Main, is a great Xmas buy.

 

Full post as published by National Eminent Domain Blog on November 20, 2008 (boomark / email).