Developer seeks Souter's property
worldnetdaily.com ^ | 6/28/2005 | Ron Strom


A private developer has contacted the local government in Supreme Court
Justice David Souter's hometown in New Hampshire asking that the property of
the judge - who voted in favor of a controversial decision allowing a city
to take residents' homes for private development - be seized to make room
for a new hotel.


Yesterday, Logan Darrow Clements faxed a request to Chip Meany, the code
enforcement officer of the town of Weare, N.H., seeking to start the
application process to build a hotel on 34 Cilley Hill Road, the present
location of Souter's home.

Wrote Clements: "Although this property is owned by an individual, David H.
Souter, a recent Supreme Court decision, Kelo v. City of New London, clears
the way for this land to be taken by the government of Weare through eminent
domain and given to my LLC for the purposes of building a hotel. The
justification for such an eminent domain action is that our hotel will
better serve the public interest as it will bring in economic development
and higher tax revenue to Weare."


The Kelo v. City of New London decision, handed down Thursday, allows the
New London, Conn., government to seize the homes and businesses of residents
to facilitate the building of an office complex that would provide economic
benefits to the area and more tax revenue to the city. Though the practice
of eminent domain is provided for in the Fifth Amendment of the
Constitution, this case is significant because the seizure is for private
development and not for "public use," such as a highway or bridge. The
decision has been roundly criticized among property-rights activists and
limited-government commentators.


According to a statement from Clement, 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 in each room, guests will
receive a free copy of Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged," the statement
said.


Clements says 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 town 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 says his plan is to raise investment capital from wealthy
pro-liberty investors and draw up architectural plans. These plans would
then be used to raise additional capital for the project.


While Clements currently makes a living in marketing and video production,
he tells WND he has had involvement in real estate development and is fully
committed to the project.


"We will build a hotel there if investors come forward, definitely," he
said.


Clements is the CEO of Freestar Media, LLC, which is dedicated to fighting
"the most deadly and destructive force on the planet: abusive governments,"
the website states.


The activist says he is aware of the apparent conflict of someone who is
strongly opposed to the Kelo decision using it to purposely oust an American
from his property.


"I realize there is a contradiction, but we're only going to use it against
people who advocated" the Kelo decision, Clements told WND. "Therefore, it's
a case of retaliation, not initiation."


Clements says some people have already offered to put money into the
project.