Congress Discusses Foreclosure Problem with Sheriff Dart

November 24th, 2008 | Tags: Foreclosure

Congress, anxious to find speedy solution to the foreclosure problem, has started discussions with Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart about the foreclosure problem.

Sheriff Dart is particularly anxious to see that renters are not thrown out of their homes because of foreclosures. The tenants are suffering because of no fault of theirs. With real estate prices tumbling and foreclosures increasing Washington is scrambling for solutions. The chief correspondent of CBS 2 reports that Congress is seeing in Tom Dart a leader to inspire them to show the path for immediate short term relief as they hunt around for long-term measures.

It seems that Capitol Hill has cast Sheriff Tom Dart into the role of a modern Robin Hood. Dart refused point blank to carry out court orders relating to foreclosure evictions. Finally a judge had to come round to Dart’s views that those suffering eviction were often the tenants and innocent victims caught in-between the war between lenders and landlords.

Senator Patrick Leahy said, “Sheriff I must say I’ve watched you on television and watched some of your statements. I must say, like the people of Vermont, I applaud you.”

During a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee Sheriff Dart spoke to the senators about the real pictures he had witnessed on the streets. He gave a graphic picture saying, “I’ve walked into these homes time after time looking at stunned people who have no idea why I am here.”

As per the new arrangement with the court Dart has made it nearly impossible for anyone to be evicted in Cook County. In the last month he has carried out merely three evictions. Meanwhile foreclosures continue to spiral while Congress looks on helplessly.

New York Senator Charles Schumer (Democrat) commented that the passing of this provision could be the dividing line between a modest recession and a deeper one – if not worse.

Earlier Senator Dick Durbin had introduced a bill to enforce leaders to renew talks with house owners facing ruin. But President Bush opposed the bill. Durbin was asked about the sense in bailing out banks and ignoring borrowers. He replied, “How in the world could we possibly justify sending $700 billion to the biggest banks in America who made the worst possible investment decisions to spare them the pain of those decisions, and then say to someone facing mortgage foreclosures, ‘sorry buddy you’re on your own’?”

As soon as President-elect Obama takes over the reins it is expected the scenario will change.