Inside Politics

Souter’s property

A businessman has asked the town of Weare, N.H., to seize the home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter in order to build a hotel and museum on the property.

Logan Darrow Clements on Monday faxed a request to ChipMeany, Weare’s code-enforcement officer, seeking to start the application process to build a hotel at 34 Cilley Hill Road, the site of Mr. Souter’s home.

Justice Souter’s vote in the Kelo v. City of New London, Conn., decision allows city governments to take land from one private owner and give it to another if the government will generate greater tax revenue or other economic benefits when the land is developed by the new owner.

Mr. Clements, CEO of Freestar Media LLC, said the town would gain greater tax revenue and economic benefits with a hotel on 34 Cilley Hill Road than allowing Justice Souter to own the land.

The proposed development, called the Lost Liberty Hotel, would feature the Just Desserts Cafe and include a museum, open to the public, featuring a permanent exhibit on the loss of freedom in America, Mr. Clements said. Instead of a Gideon’s Bible, each guest would receive a free copy of Ayn Rand’s novel “Atlas Shrugged.”

Mr. Clements said the hotel must be built on this particular piece of land because it is a unique site, being the home of someone largely responsible for destroying property rights for all Americans.

“This is not a prank,” Mr. Clements said. “The town of Weare has five people on the Board of Selectmen. If three of them vote to use the power of eminent domain to take this land from Mr. Souter, we can begin our hotel development.”

Reid’s court picks

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid yesterday endorsed Republican Sens. Mel Martinez of Florida, Mike DeWine of Ohio and Michael D. Crapo of Idaho as possible Supreme Court nominees, should a vacancy occur.

“If you want names, I’ll give you names. I think Mel Martinez is a good name, Mike DeWine, Mike Crapo are three that come to my mind,” the Nevada Democrat said in response to reporters’ questions.

Mr. Reid said he has made those suggestions to the White House, and that he has also backed the idea of looking outside of the judicial system for possible nominees to the high court.

When asked whether President Bush should also consider Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican who was on the Texas Supreme Court for seven years, Mr. Reid didn’t seem as enamored.

“I’ve told you the three that I think he should consider,” Mr. Reid said.

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