Many of you might know I am opposed to a new international bridge crossing that has ANYTHING to do with our government, or its lackeys, in what amounts to an all out eminent domain battle.
There have been some serious abuses going on by our judiciary, and frankly I am concerned that somewhere in the mix is pay-off, pay-back, or a bizarre form of quid pro quo. Something stinks to high heaven in Detroit. A letter received today:
Fellow Michiganders,
As you know, 84 year old Matty Maroun and Dan Stamper of the Detroit International Bridge Company were thrown in jail by Wayne County Circuit Judge Prentis Edward late last week, for alleged failure to comply with Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) requirements for DIBC’s “Gateway Project.” The two men were released from jail over the weekend, but the mere fact they were put their in the first place should be a major concern for every one of us.
Former Michigan Speaker for the House Craig DeRoche said it well in his Detroit Free Press Op-Ed last Friday:
“Even untrained legal observers should be outraged that Moroun was imprisoned even though he wasn’t a party to this case (his company was), he was not given the chance to speak, defend himself or answer any charges in court. There were literally no documents or court proceedings or basis for the judge to pursue this perversion of justice or to waste tax dollars so flippantly.” http://www.freep.com/article/20120113/OPINION05/120113055?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150581745711049_21851688_10150582068206049Keith Crain of Crain’s Detroit said: “His jailing makes me very nervous for our democracy. The “state” and the courts can decide in a civil dispute to throw someone in jail indefinitely? I thought that was something left to totalitarian states around the world.”
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20120115/SUB01/301159964/keith-crain-am-i-only-one-outraged-by-judge-8217-s-actNot only was the jailing for the DIBC Executives disturbing, but MDOT official have recently admitted those accusations against the bridge company we not even true. “A Michigan DOT official concedes to TOLLROADSnews that the Detroit Free Press report is mistaken. He agrees that the state is responsible for the missing ramp, not the bridge company as the Detroit Free Press falsely reports.”
http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/5702Also, attached in this email is a map of the MDOT plans for the Gateway Project and DIBC’s construction as of 2011. It is very clear that the DIBC has completed their portion of the project on was waiting on MDOT to finish their portion.
In retrospect, it is hard to see the Judge’s decision as anything but politically motivated. When you consider the Judge’s son, Prentis Edwards Jr., was recently appointed to the 36th District Court by Governor Snyder and the Governor’s recent talk about bypassing the legislature to pursue the NITC bridge, the picture becomes more clear. Keep these facts in mind as you notice the Governor’s positioning on this bridge issue in the State-of-the-State tonight and in the upcoming weeks.
Educate yourselves on this. The test is already happening. How will you score?
