A Kelo Christmas

Susette Kelo, the defendant who lost the eminent domain case which will allow the city to sieze her home and replace it with something that generates more taxes, has sent Christmas greetings to some of those involved in stealing her home:

New London — Fort Trumbull diehard Susette Kelo has sent out a heartfelt holiday greeting card to some 30 or so current and former members of the City Council and New London Development Corp., among others, wishing them, in essence, hell on Earth for the rest of their lives.

The text, accompanying a sparkling, snowy image of Kelo's iconic pink house in the Fort Trumbull neighborhood, reads, in its entirety:

Here is my house that you did take
From me to you, this spell I make
Your houses, your homes
Your family, your friends
May they live in misery
That never ends.
I curse you all
May you rot in hell
To each of you
I send this spell
For the rest of your lives
I wish you ill
I send this now
By the power of will

The cards — conceived and produced by Kathleen Mitchell, a friend of Kelo and city gadfly, and bearing Kelo's name — were received Tuesday by NLDC members David Goebel (the agency's former executive director), George Milne and Reid Burdick, and by Alan Mayer and his wife, Gail Schwenker-Mayer, supporters of the Fort Trumbull development project and one-time assistants to Claire Gaudiani, former president of both the NLDC and Connecticut College. State Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford, also got one.

Kelo said this week that she mailed two cards to Gaudiani.

Kelo confirmed others on her list for the Christmas curse, including Mayor Peg Curtin and Beth Sabilia, Ernie Hewitt, Ron Nossek, Jane Glover, Kevin Cavanaugh, Rob Pero, Tim West, all current or former city councilors involved with Fort Trumbull. NLDC President Michael Joplin and members John Johnson, Carl Stoner, Steve Percy, Karl Sternlof, John Brooks and Pam Akins also are to receive the cards.

Kelo said she was considering sending the cards to the five U.S. Supreme Court justices who, in 2005, sided, as a majority, with the city and NLDC against the Fort Trumbull homeowners who fought the city's right to take the properties by eminent domain.

I'm not much for black magic stuff, but I like her style. And then there's this clueless response from the mayor:

'It's amazing anyone could be so vindictive when they've made so much money.'
Gail Schwenker-Mayer

Unbelievably dumb. Ms. Mayor, it's not about the money - it's about taking someone's home. I guarantee you she would eagerly trade every penny she got for the privilege of keeping her home. The only one concerned about the money is the local city which is trying to build up their property tax revenues at the expense of some of their citizens.

Thankfully, there has been a backlash against this type of seizure which has resulted in new laws all around the country to protect homeowner's rights.