John Kerry forcibly took over a Pennsylvania neighborhood for a campaign appearance-Fiction!

John Kerry “Took Over” a Neighborhood in Pennsylvania for a Campaign AppearanceFiction!

Summary of eRumor:

The eRumor says that John Kerry came to Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, on Labor Day, 2004, and commandeered a neighborhood for a “front porch” meeting.
The writer claims that none of the residents of the neighborhood was allowed to attend, that the Kerry campaign brought 90 people from out of town, that Kerry claimed “imminent domain” to clear the street for a full block, and that residents were required to remove Bush-Cheney signs from their front yards.

The Truth:


John Kerry did hold a “font porch meeting” in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, but we have not been able to find any evidence of anything more than typical crowd control by the police.
A reporter we spoke with and who was on the scene for the porch meeting says there were Bush supporters across the street, one of whom he quoted in his story about the Labor Day event, and that there was a Bush-Cheney sign in her front yard.
Also, a visiting candidate does not have power of eminent domain (the eRumor calls it “imminent domain”).
That is the power of a government to force the sale of property for the public good and takes months or even years to accomplish.

Last updated 10/8/04