====== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ======

America First Party
1630 A 30th Street #111
Boulder, Colorado 80301
http://www.AmericaFirstParty.org

Monday, July 31, 2006

Defend Property Rights, Stop Abusive Property Seizures!

Boulder, CO - In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's disastrous Kelo decision last year, the Ohio Supreme Court unanimously acted to prohibit the bulldozing of private homes as part of a private development project. We applaud the court's defense of property rights, which decried the taking of 71 homes, and we urge other states to press forward with legislation to prevent similar unjust property takings.

Ohio Chairman JC Schweingrouber reports, "Owners were barred from their homes when the city of Norwood declared the area 'blighted'. Corrupt officials had hoped that using eminent domain to redevelop the area into upscale condos, retail stores, and offices would boost falling tax revenues. As a result, undue hardship resulted for the families involved, 68 of whom had their homes razed."

National Chairman Jon Hill states, "All human beings have a God-given natural right to respect for their property rights, and the state has no authority to disregard this inalienable right. Any government which tramples on it in a wholesale fashion opens itself to questions of legitimacy."

National Secretary John Hey states, "The Fifth Amendment limits the use of eminent domain. Our party stands behind property owners who have faced abusive property takings -- a dangerous trend that must be stopped immediately."

The America First Party was founded in April 2002 and is focused on electing principled citizen statesmen who will preserve and protect our people and our sovereignty, promote economic growth and independence, encourage the traditional values of faith, family, and responsibility, ensure equality before the law in protecting those rights granted by the Creator, and clean up our corrupted political system. In 2004, the AFP elected two-thirds of its candidates to public office.

Contacts:
Jonathan Hill, National Chairman, 1-866-SOS-USA1, ext. 4
John Schweingrouber, Press Secretary, 1-866-SOS-USA1, ext. 2

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