Moroun Loses in Appeals Court

[gnome]

Hot off the virtual presses, Mr. Moroun and his Ambassador Bridge, lost the plea in front of Michigan's Court of Appeals.

Last month Matty was found in Contempt of Court by Wayne County judge Prentis Edwards; at that time Moroun's attorneys vowed to appeal Judge Edwards' ruling.

Today, that appeal was sent packing.

http://www.freep.com/article/2011120...xt|FRONTPAGE|s

Billionaire Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel [[Matty) Moroun today lost another appeal of court rulings against his bridge company in the long-running fight over ramps connecting the busy border crossing to nearby expressways. The Michigan Court of Appeals today sided with Wayne County Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards’ rulings that Moroun’s Detroit International Bridge Co. breached a deal with the state to build the ramps.

At long last, the Moroun Crime Family might now just build the ramps they agreed to build a decade ago.

Every so often, the side of good wins, today is one of those days. It is nice to be an American.

[Scottathew]

It's great to see the system DOES work sometime. But it sucks that a very expensive project has lacked all of its benefit because of Mr. Moroun's lack of compliance.

Next step: Let's build NITC.

[corktownyuppie]

Between the RICO charges coming down from the US DOJ, the EM/EFM, everything going down with Ficano, and now this...I'm getting the feeling that we really are cracking down on so much of the stupid bullshit time and money wasted fighting over non-issues when there's serious work to get done. Game over, Matty.

[detlump]

This is why Judge Edwards was so methodical - he did not want to be reversed on appeal. Judges hate that generally - it is like the teacher handing your work back and saying - do this over, you didn't do it right.

[lpg]

So now he just appeals to the Michigan Supreme Court. And on and on it goes.....

[Lowell]

Next up for Mr. Moroun.

Edwards recently found the bridge company in contempt and ordered Moroun to appear personally Jan. 12, when Edwards is expected to rule on penalties that could include fines and jail time.

[jeduncan]

***Winning***

[Richard]

***Winning***

lol He did not get where he is at by losing.

[Scottathew]

lol He did not get where he is at by losing.

Nope, he got there by being a businessman that has no ties or sense of obligation to the communities that he damages by his blind and contemptuous pursuit of money at all costs.

[Richard]

Nope, he got there by being a businessman that has no ties or sense of obligation to the communities that he damages by his blind and contemptuous pursuit of money at all costs.

Well you could go by what if?

What if he did not own MCS : Judging by past performances it would have been demolished by now.

What if the city owned the bridge? Judging by the cities past performance it would be scary.

What if he did not own this big trucking outfit? Would all the small trucking companies have had the staying power to make it through the recession ?

How is Delray doing these days? Now that the paper has made it clear that it will be a public supported bridge?

I am not saying that he is a model citizen but has he stolen millions from the
people?

So if he decided tomorrow to walk away from Detroit will you have the paychecks ready for the employees?

Sometimes I wonder if all this hatred towards one man is because he is still there while everybody else that has done serious harm to the city has left the building.Love hate kinda thing going on?

Bridge has been there how many years and neither side had a growth plan in place knowing full well that you do not just pick up and move a bridge?

But I guess that's kinda why I am starting to like Detroit it does not matter rich or poor outsider or insider black white green yellow ,there will be a way to figure out how to be hating. Positives and negatives weigh them out.

[corktownyuppie]

Well you could go by what if?

What if he did not own MCS : Judging by past performances it would have been demolished by now.

What if the city owned the bridge? Judging by the cities past performance it would be scary.

What if he did not own this big trucking outfit? Would all the small trucking companies have had the staying power to make it through the recession ?

How is Delray doing these days? Now that the paper has made it clear that it will be a public supported bridge?

I am not saying that he is a model citizen but has he stolen millions from the
people?

So if he decided tomorrow to walk away from Detroit will you have the paychecks ready for the employees?

Sometimes I wonder if all this hatred towards one man is because he is still there while everybody else that has done serious harm to the city has left the building.Love hate kinda thing going on?

Bridge has been there how many years and neither side had a growth plan in place knowing full well that you do not just pick up and move a bridge?

But I guess that's kinda why I am starting to like Detroit it does not matter rich or poor outsider or insider black white green yellow ,there will be a way to figure out how to be hating. Positives and negatives weigh them out.

All these things are true.

The problem is that he is admittedly looking out for his own interests rather than that of a the community or any greater good. It is said that his strategy on fighting the NITC is a calculated stall tactic. He knows he will lose in the long run. But every month he can delay it will result in $ xxxx in his pocket. So it's worth it to shell out money to just keep delaying it.

The problem is that he never intended to comply with the rulings above. His only goal was to use his power and resources to drag out the procedural process as long as possible. Have you read the judge's ruling? Pretty scathing.

So yes, I think it's fair to say that we have had some benefit from Moroun's work.
Yes, I also think it's fair to say that we have paid a cost for Moroun's behavior.
And lastly, I think it's fair to say that Moroun cares only about Moroun.

[Richard]

So how does switching from one bridge shadow to another make everything that is despised okay?

I think he should be mayor ,makes hard unpopular decisions,does what it takes to get results and knows how to bank money to make interest work .

[corktownyuppie]

I think he should be mayor ,makes hard unpopular decisions,does what it takes to get results and knows how to bank money to make interest work .

He might actually be a good mayor. The problem is that no one wins mayoral elections under the, "I'm gonna bring the overdue pain" platform.

[Richard]

You have got that one right..lol

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

[Gistok]

You have got that one right..lol

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

lol... that's why French King Louis XIV made the Palace of Versailles big enough to house all of French nobility...

[Hypestyles]

...I won't trust this until I see the ramps are built and Moroun's operation abandons the fight against the second bridge..

[DetroitHabitater]

I love it how if you are rich you can cause serious problems and get away with them for years at minimal cost, but if you are a shcmuck and you don't wipe your nose you are going to jail.

He has already made it clear he isn't interested in what is legal, the federal government needs to shut that bridge down now.

[noise]

He has already made it clear he isn't interested in what is legal, the federal government needs to shut that bridge down now.

Before or after the new one is built? I'm not convinced a new bridge is necessary, but then I've always crossed in Port Huron.

[bartock]

What if the city owned the bridge? Judging by the cities past performance it would be scary.

The City would not, could not, and never will own the bridge.

What if he did not own this big trucking outfit? Would all the small trucking companies have had the staying power to make it through the recession ?

This doesn't make any sense to me. Would there have been any less trade or truck traffic had he not had a "big trucking outfit."?

How is Delray doing these days? Now that the paper has made it clear that it will be a public supported bridge?

Delray is doing as it was doing. Not very well under any circumstance.

I am not saying that he is a model citizen but has he stolen millions from the
people?

YES YES YES YES he has. Start with the quarter-billion dollars of taxpayer money that he STOLE from the State of Michigan taxpayers by willfully violating his agreement with Michigan taxpayers with regard to the Gateway project. Now, add in all of the time with lawyers and court costs, etc., etc., the inherent costs of what a slow, re-routed "pass by my Duty Free Shop" does. His personal "eminent domain" that he took from taxpayers with the park, just for starters. The blight that he has never bothered cleaning up and the inherent costs that that has on citizens. Oh, but he's spent a couple of million dollars powerwashing and clearing some windows to make up for it. Complete and utter theft. [[By the way, he was planning on claiming millions and millions of public tax credits for building his new bridge...."privately funded" my ass).

So if he decided tomorrow to walk away from Detroit will you have the paychecks ready for the employees?

The need for shipping and transport would not go away. Someone would want the business, he wouldn't be able to take the International border with him.


"Sometimes I wonder if all this hatred towards one man is because he is still there while everybody else that has done serious harm to the city has left the building.Love hate kinda thing going on?"

No, the hatred towards him stems from the fact that he's a greedy pile of taxpayer-stealing, blight-producing, philanthropy-loathing shit. [[Oh, that's right he gives money to University Liggett, so that the kids of millionaires in a $15,000+ year private school can FINALLY get that top notch education they so deserve).

Bridge has been there how many years and neither side had a growth plan in place knowing full well that you do not just pick up and move a bridge?

But I guess that's kinda why I am starting to like Detroit it does not matter rich or poor outsider or insider black white green yellow ,there will be a way to figure out how to be hating. Positives and negatives weigh them out.

Take a look at all of the lawsuits and blatant disregard for Court Orders, and purchase of political power by lining the pockets of Repubs and Dems Maroun has been a part of, and you will get some idea as to some of the delay.

[bartock]

I love it how if you are rich you can cause serious problems and get away with them for years at minimal cost, but if you are a shcmuck and you don't wipe your nose you are going to jail.

He has already made it clear he isn't interested in what is legal, the federal government needs to shut that bridge down now.

....or just take it over while the new one is being built. Let Maroun be on the other side of things for a change, let him be the one in Court trying to get back what was "taken" from him.

[drjeff]

...I won't trust this until I see the ramps are built and Moroun's operation abandons the fight against the second bridge..

I came here to say this as well.

[KOMPOST]

What if he did not own MCS : Judging by past performances it would have been demolished by now.

Since bartock skipped this, I'll field this one...
No, Richard, you are wrong. Studies have all unanimously ended with the same conclusion: it would take more money to tear down MCS than it would to rehab.
Meaning the station was built to last and would take a shitload to tear down.
So if Matty didn't own it there is no way the city would pony up the millions it would take to demolish.
In fact, there is no more neglectful, irresponsible path than the one Mr. Moroun has opted for the station for years: let it sit, put no care into it, do not secure it, etc. The City of Detroit could not have done a worse job than one of the richest men on the planet in neglecting this building. Think about that.
But, keep defending him.

Oh, this bears repeating:

No, the hatred towards him stems from the fact that he's a greedy pile of taxpayer-stealing, blight-producing, philanthropy-loathing shit.

[Bigb23]

One man has held whole neighborhoods hostage for years, in defiance of the the law, while the Cobo Arena has now started a complete remake within the past year, and people are really proud of the work already started. One mile apart, two different stories. Can we make MCS a crypt for the owner?

[Gistok]

OK... I don't get it.... when downtown Hudson's was imploded it cost $12 million. How the heck could the demo'ing of the MCS cost more than $200+ million? [[The likely cost to completely restore it)

Not that I'd want to see it demo'ed, because I'm pleased that it's at least being mothballed....

But this would likely be an implosion, rather than a Statler like dismantlement.... and as sturdy as the MCS is... so was Hudson's.... although it was a hodgepodge of 20+ separately built components.

Perhaps demo'ing it is more costly than "mothballing"... but certainly not more costly than restoration.

[compn]

Detroit's bridge to nowhere actually exists, while Alaska's bridge to nowhere was just an idea.

he should make it a big ski jump or something in the winter so we can use it while it sits there for years.

btw i'll be surprised if he does any jail time for his contempt.