Kelo Report, Part 2

[president]

Then why did she join the Free State Project?

to free you

Good luck with that.

[Kat Kanning]

You can lead a president to freedom, but you can't make him free.

[Kat Kanning]

Awww, the NLDC is having a public relations problem.  Poor guys.  They use tax money to pay this public relations guy?

NLDC Takes On consultant To Help shore Up Its Image
Agency To Pay $7,500 A Month To Counter Opponents' Criticism

http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/re.aspx?re=233b363b-33e8-4597-984d-e334c53f4ee1   

By TED MANN
Day Staff Writer, Politics/Government
Published on 10/4/2005

New London ?As the New London Development Corp. struggles to counter a public relations campaign by its opponents, the agency has agreed to pay its own PR consultant $7,500 a month to manage media and ?help place proactive stories about the substantial public benefits? of the city's Fort Trumbull redevelopment project.

The figure is contained in a draft contract for consultant Jeffrey M. Leichtman, who was hired in July to help the NLDC confront a storm of criticism over its seizure of private homes via eminent domain.

The NLDC, a public agency subject to the Freedom of Information Act, initially declined to disclose Leichtman's salary in August, but allowed The Day to review a tentative contract with Leichtman last week.

The consultant, who has submitted a bill for $15,000 for two months' work, has not yet been paid because the contract has not been signed, according to Jenny Wronowski, the NLDC's chief financial officer.

As written, the contract would pay Leichtman $45,000 through December, or a total of $90,000 if it is extended to a full year. (No final determination of how long Leichtman would work for the agency, or how much he would eventually be paid, has been made, Wronowski said.)

The highest paid staff member of the NLDC, Chief Operating Officer David M. Goebel, receives slightly less than $87,000 a year for the part-time job, according to the most recent finance report prepared by the agency.

Organizations on both sides of the debate about the Fort Trumbull project have brought highly experienced ? and highly compensated ? forces to bear.

The nonprofit Institute for Justice, a libertarian-leaning law firm that has represented the seven Fort Trumbull holdouts in their legal challenge to the NLDC's use of eminent domain, paid senior attorneys Scott Bullock and Dana Berliner salaries of $111,000 and $117,000, respectively, in fiscal year 2004, according to the most recent tax filings available.

The organization's vice president for communications, John Kramer, was paid more than $133,000, the filings said. The salaries for Goebel and the IJ employees represent their entire work for their respective organizations, not just on eminent domain issues.

The Institute for Justice has not used outside consultants to manage its public relations, Bullock said Monday, noting that only one other member of the organization's staff, communications director Lisa Knepper, had played a substantial role in the group's response to the Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. New London.

?Even though we've grown over the years, we're still a small shop,? Bullock said.

The NLDC reported expected personnel costs of $403,636 for the current year, of which $229,522 is directly attributed to the Fort Trumbull project in the agency's audit report. The remaining costs are attributed to the agency's Community Development Initiative and its HouseNew London program.

To meet those expenses, the NLDC has supplemented its government funds with private contributions from those who support the agency's work.

The NLDC had about $1.7 million remaining in previously approved bond funds from the state as of June 2005, and has used some private contributions of its own to afford operating expenses, including Leichtman's salary.

That compensation is in accordance with Leichtman's experience and skill, said Jay B. Levin, the prominent state lobbyist and former New London mayor who recommended the consultant to the NLDC.

?That does not strike me at all as an unusually high figure,? Levin said Monday.

Levin has known Leichtman since he worked as the chief of staff for then-Congressman Toby Moffett. He later became a senior vice president at the construction firm Bechtel, Levin said.

?I know he's a first-class mind,? Levin said.

The Institute for Justice reported revenues of more than $6.1 million in its filing with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which Bullock said represented contributions from individuals and organizations that support its challenges to government regulation and takings. No single entity or individual provided more than 6 percent of its funds, he said.

Bullock also criticized the NLDC's attempt to counteract outrage over the Kelo decision with a ?public outreach and education program? about the project.

?It's a refusal to believe that the American people are outraged by this decision,? he said. ?They think it's just a matter of spin and PR. And that type of thinking is just unbelievably misguided.?

On Monday, the Supreme Court denied a motion by the NLDC to ?retax? document production costs from the case. Bullock said the NLDC ? not the Institute for Justice ? will have to pay roughly $23,000 in printing fees for the reproduction of an environmental study.

[Russell Kanning]

I wonder if Ted Mann feels 'managed' yet.

let's see .... the nldc (tax funded) vs. IJ (voluteer contributions)

[Tom Sawyer]

William said "WooHoo... we did it, Lauren's out of jail!"
I told him if people cared and did something about it she would get out of jail.
He didn't like the idea of you in a 'cage' (his words).

Congratulations Lauren, we were concerned for you. You are one strong lady.

Here is the first photograph William ever took...


[attachment deleted by admin]

[Kat Kanning]

You make such nice signs.

National coverage
http://infowars.com/articles/ps/eminent_domain_rally_backs_protestor.htm

[Russell Kanning]

Next time you can take him to see the bad guys and make faces in the window.

[Michael Fisher]

Apparently the court released Lauren this afternoon after 15 days and dropped the charges.? What a farce.?

--
Doug Schwartz

WOOHOO!!!   

[Russell Kanning]

I like the way we are fighting now ..... non-violently and on the cheap so that anyone can join

.... but it would be welcome to add another freedom fighter that has his own magazine.

[Russell Kanning]

I wonder what Lauren is up to now? I bet the cops in NL run when they see her

[president]

... Canario .... protested to keep Cuban immigrant Elian Gonzalez in the United States....

WTF is up with that?

[Russell Kanning]

... Canario .... protested to keep Cuban immigrant Elian Gonzalez in the United States....

WTF is up with that?

I totally agree with her..... only a guy named el presidente could disagree

I even liked the snl skit.

[tracysaboe]

Lauren is free!!!

That's the main thing. Now she can stand in front of Bull-Dozers. 

[Michael Fisher]

I just spoke with Lauren's husband, Jim Johnson.? Lauren was convicted of "disturbing the peace", sentenced to time served, and released.? Jim's doing very well after finally hearing from Lauren.? He's very happy for our repeated rallies and efforts.? He was also happy to see the small victory that we were able to keep the pressure on this judge until Lauren was released.? ?

At one point, the judge even called someone to complain about a letter he wrote a to the editor of The Day saying that judge should be removed from the bench.? ?

On Sunday, there were representatives, senators, politicians, and Fort Trumbull residents comparing Lauren's actions to Gandhi's nonviolent noncooperation campaigns.? I was a speaker at the event and I also made a point of saying it.

BTW, there were 5 FSP members at the rally on Sunday, 4 of which are members of the NH Underground.   ? Cathleen, Don, Roger Grant, Russell (Suzette Kelo's boyfriend is an FSP member by some strange coincidence?!), and myself.?

Maybe Lauren did not get a law changed, but she created a fresh new story which brought more attention to the cause.? She is a hero for her spontaneous act of self-giving.

[Michael Fisher]

WOOHOO, Lauren's online! 

Welcome back, Lauren!