Distribution Of Leaflet On Foreclosure Moratorium Allowed By Judge

February 14th, 2008

It was a watershed in the history of foreclosures. A federal judge allowed two persons representing a group to distribute leaflets advocating a moratorium on foreclosures at a forum hosted by State Attorney General Mike Cox on foreclosures.

The members of Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice had complained that they had been ordered to leave Cobo Hall last December at a conference that had drawn about 4,000 people. The leaflets were asking Governor Jennifer Granholm to declare emergency and enforce a suspension on foreclosures.

David Lawson, US District Court Judge granted a preliminary injunction and commented that most probably the plaintiffs will get through their point that their First Amendment Rights had been violated. Lawson added that ‘a space must be provided for these two individuals’. In the lawsuit the defendants were Cox, Cobo Hall and Detroit city. The attorney for the plaintiffs Jerome Goldberg was optimistic about obtaining minimum damages. The ruling restricted Robert Norfolk and Judith Thompson of Detroit from passing out the promotional material only at the forum held at Cobo Hall. It does not apply to another scheduled to be held in Saginaw and Grand Rapids. The attorneys for the Attorney General’s Office, Adam Purnell and Margaret Nelson were not permitted to comment on the case. The attorney for Detroit City, Eric Gaabo hastily left the room.

The argument of the defendants was that leaflets could he passed around on the sidewalks of the city. Goldberg counter argued that more than the majority of the participants were entering through the garage.

The anti-foreclosure group wants to pressurize Granholm to declare economic emergency in Michigan and place a temporary ban on foreclosures. The group put up a demonstration where Granholm was to make a state address in Lansing.

In this connection ACORN came out openly in support of the group and threw a challenge to Cox asking for more aggressive stand to be taken against the lenders. The Attorney General has the authority to tackle the fraudulent lenders and the job has to be done without humming and hawing.

Despite a lot of noise not much is coming from those in power to curtail the foreclosure menace. The numbers continue to rise affecting the entire socio-economic structure. In a chain reaction all are affected. But the administration continues to be soft towards the lenders – is the allegation.