By Joel Thurtell
The wrong jackass went to jail.
Now, don’t misunderstand: I’m happy Wayne Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards sent Ambassador Bridge president Dan Stamper to jail for contempt of court.
It’s about time the Detroit International Bridge Co. were brought up short in its attempt to steal city property.
But as we all know, the DIBC is really just a shield for a greedy billioniare named Manuel “Matty” Moroun.
Matty won’t feel Danny Boy’s pain unless he, too, is handcuffed and dumped in the slammer.
Want to break the law and get away with it?
Here’s Matty Moroun’s formula:
First, be a billionaire.
Second, design your corporate structure so that whatever you do, the law won’t touch your person.
Now, feel free to steal whatever your billions can’t buy.
Does the city own a park you’d like as a site for a bridge?
Steal it!
Does the city own property where you’d like to put a duty-free store and a gas station?
No biggie — simply steal it, too.
If somebody objects, hire lawyers.
Lots of lawyers.
Sue everybody in sight.
Stall, stall, stall.
And when you’re cited for contempt, let Dan the Man take the fall.
The judge wants to see some progress on demolishing the gas station and part of the duty-free store before he’ll set Dan free, according to The Detroit News.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Stamper might be freed later today (Monday, January 10, 2011) if the bridge company shows it is moving ahead to comply with the judge’s order.
The judge’s action bodes ill for Matty’s dream of building a new bridge, partly on city-owned Riverside Park, according to the Free Press:
In issuing his contempt ruling today, Edwards also fined the bridge company $7,500 and ordered the company to begin complying immediately with his order to rebuild the approaches as MDOT requires.
Edwards’ order has implications well beyond the Gateway dispute. Moroun hopes to build a new bridge immediately adjacent to the Ambassador, and he has already built the initial piers and decking on both sides of the river even though neither the U.S. nor Canada has given approval. Complying with Edwards’ order seemingly will force Moroun to rip out the Detroit approach, known as Pier 19, to make way for the Gateway ramps as MDOT requires, making it more difficult for him to build a new bridge there even if he wins approval to do so.
Will the predicament of Dan-in-jail move Boss Matty to do what the judge says?
If not, will the judge toss the billionaire in the cooler?
