Interesting

I found the use of “gift clause” in the class action lawsuit against Seattle rather interesting:

The class action lawsuit claims that the city’s failure to provide police and fire service to the CHOP and surrounding areas, while providing the protesters assistance in blocking off roadways, amounts to an unconstitutional taking of property without due process and without just compensation. The suit also claims that by letting protestors occupy streets and set up community gardens in a public park, the City of Seattle has made a gift of public property to private parties, in violation of the “gift clause” in the Washington State constitution.

A number of western states have these gift clauses, which were originally intended to prevent the government from granting privileges to private corporations. It’s an irony that private businesses are now invoking the clause to stop Seattle from tolerating a leftist commune.

There are other stories about the lawsuit as well. But I was unable find others which mention the gift clause:

I wish the plaintiffs luck in their lawsuit. The politicians who encourage this sort of behavior need to know their will be consequences.

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2 thoughts on “Interesting

  1. That’s what you pay lawyers for; finding ‘interesting’ ways in the law to sue the pants off someone.

  2. Unfortunately it will only be the taxpayers who will foot the bill if the plaintiffs win. The idiot pols will skate free and will most probably be rewarded with higher pastures to graze in after they leave their current office.

    “It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.” – Thomas Sowell

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