Hmmmm:
The other item of note that I found interesting was the exhibit of a phone message record showing that local political consultant Bill Burges had arranged one of the early meetings between Campbell and Wolstein. Such a revelation leads me to believe that Bill’s involvement meant that from the very beginning there were actions done on Wolsteins’ behalf by the mayor’s office to curry favor.
Those two pieces of the puzzle are only minor constructions and putting them together points to the potential for legal actions well beyond whether or not eminent domain is justified. I’m not an attorney, but I wonder whether or not this creates the potential for RICO statutes to be considered… an illegal taking of property at the behest of those conspiring to circumvent the law - sounds like racketeering to me - at least it is on the Sopranos…
Some side notes:I’ve been shocked by the level of disinterest from the local media about this case - and today was no different. All of the TV stations were there (likely because of the Mayor’s testimony), but only one actually sent a reporter (and he was so bored that he left after about an hour of having to listen to testimony instead of talking to someone on his cell phone). The limited coverage in the local fishwrap has been appalling (although they have had a reporter there everyday) and Crain’s didn’t even have someone there…
