Tuesday, June 28, 2005

National Land Grab Threat

Texas Attorney General candidate David Van Os said today he disagrees with last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing cities to bulldoze people's homes in pursuit of economic redevelopment and increased tax revenues.

In a 5-4 ruling the majority held that private homes could be seized from their owners under the power of eminent domain. The property can then be turned over to private developers for mixed-use development such as office buildings and condominiums.

Although duly respectful of the authority of the nation's highest court, Van Os called the decision a "dangerous departure" from the doctrine embedded in the Bill of Rights placing stringent limitations on the government's power to take private property for "public use". Noting that "public use" has historically referred to land for schools, libraries, hospitals, roads and other "uses" which will directly serve the public, Van Os denounced the ruling as an unwarranted extension of the concept of "public use" and a serious threat to private home and land owners.

According to Van Os, "If economic development can be used to justify condemnation, any governmental body can curry favor with a private developer or corporation by using eminent domain to take homes away from their owners in order to hand the property over to the developer or corporation for private commercial benefit."

"If the people of Texas place their trust in me to be the people's lawyer, I pledge to do everything within the power of my office to see that Texas home owners cannot have their homes and land taken for the enrichment of private developers. I call on Govenor Perry to open the Special Session underway in Austin for legislation to protect the private property rights so fundamental to the traditions of Texas. Although we must respect the authority of the U.S. Supreme Court, nothing prevents the Texas legislature from enacting state laws to protect Texas home and property owners."

posted by snarko! at 1:42 PM |

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Van Os Appears at DemFest

~Aldon Hynes

MORE >>

posted by snarko! at 1:46 PM |

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Van Os Bids for Texas Attorney General

Brenham, Texas: David Van Os, a Democratic candidate for Texas Attorney General, visited Brenham, Texas, on June 14, 2005 and made the following statement:

"The Attorney General of Texas is Constitutionally charged and empowered with the duty of protecting the people from lawlessness and injustice.

Lawlessness comes in many forms. It includes predatory big-business tactics that rip off consumers and small business owners through monopolization of markets and other forms of corruption. It also includes threatening our Constitutional liberties by misusing the authority of government as a tool to promote the obsessions of fanatics.

Texans don't want Big Brother snooping over their shoulders and eroding their precious liberties. It's time Texas had an Attorney General who'll stand and fight for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Texans are fed up with the big oil companies using monopoly power to squeeze their pockets at the gasoline pumps. It's time Texas had an Attorney General who'll take the people's side against the power of giant corporations. Texans have had enough of double-talking politicians using public office to enrich themselves and their cronies at the taxpayers' expense. It's time Texas had an Attorney General who'll clean up political insider trading regardless of person or party.

I am a fighting lawyer and will be a fighting Attorney General. I'm ready to take on all the price gougers, con artists, and corporate hustlers, whether in or out of government and no matter how powerful. I have a family of my own; and I want to fight for the people of Texas and make our state a safe place for the future of all our families."

posted by snarko! at 1:52 PM |