Castle Coalition Holds Conference on Eminent Domain Abuse

I got this in my inbox tonight. All concerned about private property rights should attend....

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Friends,

It is with great pleasure that I extend to you a formal invitation to attend the Castle Coalition’s Ohio Eminent Domain Conference. These regional conferences are a main component of the Hands Off My Home campaign, and the Castle Coalition will be holding them around the country. This conference will take place Saturday, April 29, from 9:00am to 4:00pm at the Westin Columbus in Columbus, Ohio. Breakfast and registration will begin at 8:30am. The purpose of this conference is to bring together a diverse group of eminent domain activists from around your state for a day of workshops and strategy sessions. Similar to our national conference, we will focus on how to coordinate effective multi-faceted approaches to defeating eminent domain abuse. This will also serve as an opportunity to network and build relationships with other activists in your region.

The workshops will cover such topics as how to build a grassroots coalition, how to prepare for legal action, and how to harness the media to help in your grassroots fight. Included among the participants will be activists who are fighting current eminent domain projects, as well as a number of activists who bring to the table important lessons learned from their own successful battles against eminent domain abuse. Panelists from the Institute for Justice will also share their own wide array of expertise gained from almost a decade of litigating eminent domain cases, and teach conference participants how to take the fight beyond the courts of law, and directly into the court of public opinion through coalition-building and effective media strategies.

As you know, on June 23, 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Kelo v. City of New London, giving local governments nationwide a green light to condemn homes and businesses for private economic development. Since, we’ve seen a flurry of legislative activity at the local, state and federal levels. The Institute for Justice and Castle Coalition are eager to capitalize on this momentum - and we want you to bring your energy and insight to our first regional conference, so that you can utilize these tools in your own fight against eminent domain abuse.

The conference is free of charge. The Institute for Justice will provide you with breakfast and lunch, along with conference materials. Participants will be responsible for their own travel. Please let us know by no later than Wednesday, April 19 if you will be able to attend by replying to this email with the information listed below. Spots will be reserved on a first come, first served basis, so please RSVP as soon as possible. I will respond to your RSVP with further details about the conference. If you have any questions or would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at 703-682-9320 or by email at cwalsh@ij.org.

We look forward to seeing you in Columbus!

Best,

Christina Walsh
Assistant Castle Coalition Coordinator
Institute for Justice
901 N. Glebe Road, Suite 900
Arlington, VA 22203
(703) 682-9320
www.ij.org
www.castlecoalition.org



If you would like to attend, please provide us with the following information:

Name
Address
Phone
Briefly explain your interest in attending this conference.
Are you or have you ever been threatened by eminent domain abuse? Please explain briefly.