In Iowa, Sen. Rand Paul Calls for an End to Property Rights Abuse
NEWTON, IOWA - Addressing roughly 40 farmers and landowners in Jasper County, Iowa, Sen. Rand Paul told the crowd that, "No private property owner should have their land taken through eminent domain and transferred to another for-profit company."
Rand Paul for President State Agriculture Chairman Craig Lang introduced Sen. Paul by explaining that, "As farmers, we don't want to see candidates attack each other. We want to hear how they will change the country. During the debate there was only one candidate who presented substantive policies, and that was Rand Paul. I am proud to support him during his run for president and he is here today to talk about a substantive issue that farmers care about: property rights."
The Bakken Pipeline runs directly through Jasper County, and the landowners in this rural community are protesting how eminent domain has eroded their negotiating power over their property rights.
"I'm not against a pipeline, but oil companies need to negotiate with landowners without the threat of eminent domain hanging over the transaction. The moment the government sends a letter that says eminent domain can be used, it shifts the bargaining power away from the landowner and to the oil companies," Sen Paul said. "When I'm elected, I'm not going to step down. I am going to change things and return power and pride back to private property owners."
Following the event at the Jasper County Farm Bureau, Senator Paul toured the farm of Carroll and Lois VanGorp, who will have their pipeline running across their property.
