FL Eminent Domain Land Grab Crime - Krathen Closes Pompano Beach CRA v Gil Eriksen Properties Case

May 19, 2011 - PRLog -- Broward County which has been trying to shake its national reputation as Corruption County has just added another atrocity to its name. In addition to the seemingly endless political scandals of late, the Broward County Courthouse has incriminated itself in its official closing of the famous Pompano Beach CRA v Gil Eriksen Properties case. “Of course I am not surprised about the criminality in the courthouse, said a local Fort Lauderdale attorney who wished to remain anonymous, “but I am astonished Judge [David] Krathen would actually put his seal on a case where Eriksen was never heard and did not even get to participate at trial. To be so blatantly criminal. Krathen’s really put himself on the line, and the courthouse, too.”

You may recall the case was one where the Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency filed to take Gil Eriksen Properties’ prime historical multi-million dollar non-blighted Pompano Beach property to resell for private development under the government power of eminent domain. The first glitch was the fact that Florida voters had already passed the state constitutional amendment banning the use of eminent domain powers for private development. The big upset came when it was discovered the CRA agency did not have the authority to exist according to county charter, was acting as a shill for the Pompano Beach Commission in land grab schemes, and did not have the governmental power of eminent domain to take properties. Then it came out the CRA had been illegally taking properties for a decade. And how were all these takings processed? Well, through the Broward County Court, of course.

Not to help publicity matters was the exposure of the courthouse’s nepotism when it was revealed that the initial judge on the case, Miette K. Burnstein is the mother of the CRA’s attorney on the case, Mitchell J. Burnstein. The arrest of Pompano Beach CRA advisory member Vincente Thrower for felony charges including bribery and unlawful compensation (not to mention his recent March 31, 2011 arrest for soliciting prostitutes in a sting captured by a TLC television film crew) was also an embarrassment. Then the skeletons of all the players in the case exploded, with the Community Redevelopment Agency’s members being reported as being active lobbyists for developers (E. Pat Larkins, Kim Jackson-Briesemester & Chris Brown), found guilty of profiting their own companies from their office (Mayor Lamar Fisher), found guilty of government ethics law violations (Mayor Lamar Fisher, Vice-Mayor George Brummer, Susan Foster, Kay McGinn), and yes, even illegally disposing of dead babies (Woodrow Poitier).

Then came the ongoing parade of bizarre courthouse antics with the reveal that the case would continue even though it was previously ruled CRA did not have the power of eminent domain, eight different judges being brought in to preside on the case, all ruling exclusively in favor of the CRA, including one of whom who was brought in from retirement, ruled, and then immediately returned to retirement (Judge Robert Carney), and one who ruled and immediately retired thereafter (Judge Larry Klein), Eriksen’s Shutts & Bowen LLP attorneys Alan M. Rubin and Suzanne M. Driscoll being allowed to suddenly withdraw on very the morning of trial unbeknownst to Eriksen (halting the highly anticipated trial Eriksen waited four years for), and then the smashing conclusion of holding a one-sided trial with only the CRA attorney being able to speak or present evidence and Eriksen not being allowed to speak, present, or respond, with the jury being threatened that they can only return one pro-CRA verdict or they will go to jail (a verdict which subsequently took less than 3 minutes to return).

With the massive political and legal upset regarding the egregiousness of the violations to Constitutional rights and Florida State law, and the discovery of at least a decade of laundering of eminent domain fraud, it remained unclear if courthouse or governmental oversight would intercede in this case and finally halt the court’s laundering of eminent domain fraud. With so many eyes on the case, and going on eight months after the notorious so-called jury verdict, it was also questioned whether Judge Krathen was hesitant to stand by his kangaroo court trial and finally close the case, officially completing the crime. Now the official answer is in: Let the land grabbing continue, and let’s even bill the citizenry for it, as according to the final order, Gil Eriksen Properties is now indebted to the Pompano Beach CRA some $130,000.  How’s that for irony.

So the Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency gets prime multi-million dollar land at a “steal”, developer and bank cronies are aligned to profit, the legal industry involved in the case make their money, and the only one who loses is the property owner, who loses everything especially their right to due process in the United States of America? Broward County voters don’t think this should stand. “Now that the case is officially over, let the investigation officially begin,” says one resident, “they made their bed, and it’s time to lie in it.”

For the full report including the official closing document, as well as more information on Pompano Beach CRA Gate visit
http://www.wojspubs.com

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