Delaware Liberal

News Journal Makes Eminent Domain an Issue

In the last three weeks, we have had two major political events.   The first was the Bluewater Wind deal.  Politically, since Lt. Governor Carney was involved in the final negotiations, and since he was given partial credit at the news conference by Delmarva and BWW officials, it was a win for him.   A win that quickly found its way into a television ad downstate.

Then, last week, Governor Minner vetoed the nearly unanimously passed Senate Bill 245, which would have restricted the eminent domain powers that the state government has under the recent Kelo v. United States opinion, protecting private land from seizure by the government for use in private economic development.   Jack Markell had previously indicated his support for the bill, and on the night of the veto, his campaign made his displeasure known to Mike Matthews of Down with Absolutes.    Meanwhile, Carney was no where to be found for 36 hours.

Later, on the last night of legislative session, when the Senate failed to override the Governor’s veto, in an exclusive interview with Delaware Liberal, Carney was evasive about whether he supported the Senate Bill.   The basic nonanswer Carney gave was that he would not have let Senate Bill 245 get to his desk without some allowance  for urban blight/renewal in Wilmington.  He never did answer whether he would sign or veto Senate Bill 245 as it stood that night.    This is no doubt because his financial backers are the very same developers who wanted Minner to veto this bill.

Thus, last week was a political win for Jack Markell for his stand on Eminent Domain.   Yet, we wondered whether the public would notice or care about eminent domain the same way it noticed and cared about offshore wind.    In other words, does a political win for Carney on BWW outweigh a political win for Markell on eminent domain?

Well, the News Journal is out with an article today, entitled “Markell Opposes Eminent Domain,” which is featured prominently on its website.   To us, this news is a week late.   Perhaps to the average voter, it is news they were unaware of.    The question is, was this article in today’s newspaper?   I did not get a dead tree version today.   It does not appear it was on the front page, so if it was in today’s paper, it must be in either the “A” or Local section.     The article focuses on Ed Osborne, as it should.   And it focuses on the difference between Markell and Carney on the issue.  Indeed, suprisingly, the article does a very good job of illustrating the Carney dance on the issue.

And it also contains this tidbit:

Josie Roy said she has decided to run for the state Senate against Wilmington Democrat Margaret Rose Henry, and will make eminent domain a cornerstone of her campaign. Henry, D-Wilmington East, is one of eight senators who voted to pass the eminent domain bill but then refused to override Minner’s veto.

I live in the district, and would like to help Ms. Roy in any way I can in her primary challenge.  I will be contacting her shortly, once I get back from Phoenix.   This is what we should always do.   For we need more Democrats, but better Democrats who will stand up for what they believe in and serve their constituents’ needs, rather than the needs of the lobbyists.

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