H/T Eric Sundwall in comments on Warren Redlich, Kristin Davis disagree on “Mosque” in New York City:
Warren Redlich, Libertarian for Governor of New York in the Westchester Herald:
Warren Redlich.
ALBANY, NY, July 22, 2010 — Carl Paladino's "Mosque" press release (see below) was forwarded to me just now.
I oppose Mr. Paladino's plan to waste money, and abuse property rights through eminent domain.
For one thing, condos in that part of Manhattan have been known to sell for $3 million or more. In an eminent domain proceeding, a property like this could cost the state tens of milliions of dollars. The state would then have to spend tens of millions more to build something at the site for a public purpose.
To sustain any kind of public purpose argument for an eminent domain proceeding, the state would also have to purchase and develop other properties in the area. This would dramatically increase the cost to New York taxpayers into the hundreds of millions.
Mr. Paladino's knee-jerk proposal to abuse property rights and the First Amendment will worsen our state's budget crisis. As he and Rick Lazio race to win votes through the politics of hate, I will continue to fight for the Constitution and liberty.
For further information about the Warren Redlich for Governor campaign visit the http://wredlich.com/ny website.
PALADINO: "AS GOVERNOR I'LL — USE EMINENT DOMAIN TO BLOCK THE MOSQUE"
(BUFFALO, NY) - Buffalo Developer and lawyer Carl Paladino said today that he would use the powers of eminent domain to stop a mosque from being constructed near the Ground Zero site inNew York City.
"As Governor I will use the power of eminent domain to stop this mosque and make the site a war memorial instead of a monument to those who attacked our country," Paladino said in a thirty second radio spot playing statewide beginning Wednesday evening.
A successful lawyer and developer who built and manages a half billion dollar commercial real estate portfolio, Paladino scoffed at critics who claim federal law prohibits his strategy to stop the Islamic mosque. "I've been driving land-use issues for 40 years, and I understand the full powers of the governor," he said. "If the ACLU or anyone else wants to challenge me in court, I'm ready for the fight."
" Andrew Cuomo supports the mosque," Paladino said. "He says it is about religious freedom and he says the mosque construction should proceed. I say it is disrespectful to the thousands who died on 9-11 and their families, insulting to the thousands of troops who've been killed or injured in the ensuing wars and an affront to American people. And it must be stopped."
"There is little to no democracy in the Middle East other than Israel. The Islamic fundamentalists are Fascists – women have limited rights, there is no free speech or freedom of expression, and citizens are subject to the often barbaric Sharia Law. I oppose a mosque near the site of Ground Zero, not because of race, but because of the ideology of the Islamic fundamentalists," said Paladino.
Paladino, a Republican candidate for Governor of New York, kicked off an advertising campaign to rally statewide opposition to the proposed Islamic mosque at Ground Zero in New York City and called outDemocrat candidate Andrew Cuomo for backing the divisive mosque.
Carl Paladino declared his candidacy for Governor of New York in Buffalo in April. He and Tom Ognibene, candidate for Lt. Governor, have petitioned their way into the Republican Primary and are canvassing also to create a Tea Party-oriented line – the Taxpayers Party. For more information on where Carl Paladino stands on the issues, please visit www.paladinoforthepeople.com.
Paladino’s a loser:
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/capital-connection/albany/article84374.ece
…Cholko…
are you kiddin me man…
…dim dude…
It is disgusting to me that this is even an issue. How exactly is the existence of an Islamic cultural center disrespectful to anyone?
@9 see
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2010/04/beastiality-pornography-racism-and-the-race-for-governor-of-new-york/
Paladino is either a legal idiot, or cynically lying to voters.
I say this because his call to use eminent domain to block the mosque is likely unconstitutional — and he should know this.
The Constitution restricts eminent domain powers to a “public purpose.” Yes, the state has pretty broad powers as to what constitutes a “public purpose.” But, if there’s a paper trail that the state acted in “bad faith” in defining “public purpose”, then a court will often toss out a state’s eminent domain attempt.
That’s what an eminent domain lawyer told me.
Paladino has now created a paper trail such that, if he now claims the state needs that space for a public purpose, a lawyer can prove that his real motive is religious bigotry.
And on top of violating the Constitution’s “public purpose” requirement by acting in general “bad faith,” Paladino’s specific “bad faith” is a violation of the First Amendment’s Free Exercise of religion rights.
He’s either a bigoted idiot — or a smart bigot who thinks the voters are bigoted idiots.
I like Carl’s ‘gay marriage section’ on his campaign site: ‘I treat gays and lesbians as equals but I don’t want them to have rights’.
Why is this font so HUGE?
Good job to Warren being the bigger man and the Constitutionalist on the issue.
TK – of course even if it were a mosque, it would still be an issue of freedom. We released a statement yesterday to that effect.
Paladino compounds the problem by issuing the threat of Eminent Domain. What’s not clear is what the effect will be on voters. The reactionary intolerance on the right, won’t like this from us. The more liberal oriented will bve satisfied with the Cuomo ‘schuck and jive’ and will largely not consider this a factor in their vote.
I’ll maintain the position that we are correct to decry the knee jerks, votes be damned. We’re obviously getting more media than the boobs btw. Unless you consider Dondero’s blog as consequential.
And people wonder why I detest the perceived connection of Republicans and Libertarians.
This is just more GOP garbage.
Thankfully Warren Redlich is (mostly) a voice of reason in this debate.
There is no “proposed Islamic mosque” in question.
There’s a proposed Islamic cultural center.
The two are not the same thing, any more than a YMCA is a cathedral or a Jewish Cultural Center is a synagogue.
And of course, even if the proposed project WAS a mosque, using the force of government to prevent its construction would be about as wrong and evil as it’s humanly possible to get short of actually hijacking some planes and flying them into it.
http://reason.com/blog/2010/07/22/new-at-reason-steve-chapman-on
This week, Sarah Palin posted Twitter comments urging Muslims and New Yorkers to put a stop to a proposed Islamic community center near Ground Zero because the pain from the 9/11 attacks “is too raw, too real.” But as Steve Chapman explains, Palin’s position is hard to reconcile with the reverence she and her fans claim to hold for the Founding Fathers, who gave the highest protection to religious freedom.