Oct. 18, 2005
 
Johnson Calls for Efforts Against Expanding Eminent Domain
 
By HNN Staff
 
Morgantown, WV (HNN) – Republican U.S. Senate candidate George D. Johnson called on state legislators in both parties to push for state and federal legislation to help West Virginians stop the federal expansion of eminent domain as handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year in the now-famous "Kelo" case.
 
"Activist U.S. Supreme Court Justices have got to be challenged," said Johnson, a Morgantown businessman, whose family has significant real estate holdings along the Monongahela River. "This Kelo decision by the U.S. Supreme Court unites us all--small homeowners, large land owners, and anyone else who values their liberty and property."
 
Johnson noted that there is an inherent contradiction when it comes to any judge or justice who swears in their oath to defend the U.S. Constitution, only to break that oath by going against both the letter and spirit of the Constitution in rulings like "Kelo."
 
"People need to shake off the dust of their apathy and come together on this one," said Johnson. "If we don't let the powers that be know when they have crossed the line, trust me, they'll just encroach further and further. That's why it's so important for us to contact our state legislators and Governor Manchin's office and tell them all that we expect, no we demand, them to pass sufficient state legislation to curb this attack on our liberties."
 
Johnson, a Morgantown resident, entered the U.S. Senate race on Constitution Day, Sept. 17, 2005.