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Lawyers defending the government-orchestrated deal by which Chrysler was purchased by Fiat and hundreds of dealers were thrown out of the network have raised President Barack Obama's eligibility for office as a possible issue in the dispute. In a footnote in their latest court filing, attorneys representing the old car company at the firm of Jones Day have cited a "scheme" purportedly on the part of the lawyers for the former Chrysler dealers – the plaintiffs in the case. "Although the debtors have no independent knowledge of these matters, the debtors have taken note of certain public statements connecting the...

Several weeks ago President Obama pilloried holders of Chrysler debt who refused to take a deal for less than they had expected as secured creditors of the company, famously dismissing them as "a small group of speculators." Bloomberg reported that he also questioned their motives, saying that, "A group of investment firms and hedge funds decided to hold out for the prospect of an unjustified taxpayer-funded bailout." Among other things, Obama tried to cast the conflict as a moral issue, in effect suggesting that bondholders were greedy and threatening the jobs of hardworking Americans with unfair demands and a lack...

Jim Press, Chrysler's charismatic deputy chief executive, went to Capitol Hill last week and spoke solemnly about the "very difficult decision" of terminating 789 of the automaker's dealers across the country. He assured members of a House committee that the company's executives had "taken every step to make this a soft landing for the dealers involved" and promised to help them as much as possible. *snip* "You have two choices," Press told the group, according to reports. "You can either help us or burn us all down." Many dealers would long remember the warning that followed to those who refused...

HOBART, Ind. – At the end of the 81-year marriage, the Isaksons said goodbye by turning off the lights. The partnership was over. The Chrysler sign went dark. It was an unceremonious finale to a four-generation bond between one family and one company, but it was not a surprise. Rob Isakson had known for weeks his dealership was on a Chrysler hit list — the cuts were part of the troubled automaker's survival strategy...

"My grandfather paid for Carlisle Chevrolet from his labors. My father paid my grandmother for Carlisle Chevrolet through his efforts. It took me nearly 20 years to pay my parents for Carlisle Chevrolet. It took GM and Chrysler a mere 24 hours to take Carlisle Chevrolet from me."

With the government-imposed terms of bankruptcy for GM and Chrysler, Barack Obama has violated the 5th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution--a serious impeachable offense. Bond holders and investors were deprived of due process of law and were not justly compensated for their investment. Instead, the UAW was given .68 cents on the dollar, although they never invested a dime in the companies, and the investors only received .28 cents on the dollar for their multi-millions they pumped into the 2 automakers.

Pension funds opposed to Chrysler's sale to Fiat have asked the US Supreme Court to block the deal immediately. Three Indiana state pension and construction funds filed papers at the court on Sunday calling for the sale to be halted so they can pursue an appeal. It comes after a US appeals court approved Chrysler's sale to a group led by Fiat, a union-aligned trust and the US and Canadian governments. Chrysler entered bankruptcy protection in April after falling vehicle sales. US carmakers have suffered from a massive slump in sales during the recession. The US government has backed its...

This is nothing short of Americans asking the Judiciary Branch to step in and exercise its check and balance powers to stop an out-of-control Executive Branch. Our Republic is held together by such power, and in this instance, the Supreme Court is the last bulwark against an authoritarian president nationalizing a private company and extinguishing Constitutionally protected contract and property rights to reach his goal of giving the company to his political allies.

From Harry Reid to Obama: Closing these dealerships will put over 100,000 jobs at risk at a time when our country is shedding jobs at an alarming rate. We also question the criteria being used to determine which dealerships should be closed and the fundamental fairness involved in this effort. It is our view that the market rather than leaving it up to the manufacturers whose poor leadership contributed to their demise. . . .

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer and Reps. Chris Van Hollen and Daniel Maffei have circulated this letter today ... ... to Obama expressing “growing concern” with the closures of GM and Chrysler dealerships across the country. The lawmakers say they’re asking for a “compelling justification as to how closing healthy dealerships will make the automakers more financially sound. The lawmakers are asking for lawmakers to sign this letter by 5p.m. today. Full letter below: Dear President Obama: We are writing to express our concerns about General Motors’ and Chrysler’s decision to close profitable automobile dealerships across the country, and...

The Obama administration rushed an alliance between Chrysler and Fiat despite Chrysler's worries about Fiat's financial health and its willingness to share technology, according to internal company emails. The emails show Fiat ignoring requests for documents and trying to change contract terms late in the talks. The documents provide a glimpse at the tense debates that shaped Chrysler's final days as it raced to find a suitor. For more information and to read some of the email exchanges:

Since we last checked in, here are the latest developments in the rope line of strange occurrences Doug Ross has dubbed Dealergate (Some bloggers prefer Mopargate, but many non-motorheads won't get it. Dealergate it is). In another of the many pesky coincidences to be found in this story, car czar Steven Rattner, the real head of President Obama's auto task force, is married to Maureen White, a former fundraising chair for the Democratic National Committee. Need dealer donor data? No problem... Chelsea Schilling examined the political donations made by dealers on Chrysler's closing list, data for whom are now in...

DETROIT - A group of Chrysler LLC's dissident lenders disbanded, representatives said on Friday, removing the last legal hurdle to the automaker's quest to complete a merger with Italy's Fiat SpA with U.S. government backing.

Politics: The government's bailout of Chrysler was key to saving a national icon too important to be lost. Or so we were told. But it's looking more like a way to punish political opponents.Earlier this month, Chrysler announced it was seeking permission from bankruptcy court to kill franchise agreements with 789 of its 3,181 dealers to save costs. Dealers, many of whom ran profitable businesses, told the media that the news was devastating. Aside from the loss of a business, many of these franchisees may have something else in common: It looks like all the dealers who are losing their...

Michelle Malkin was on Fox and Friends this morning discussing the Chrysler dealership closings and credited Joey Smith (Freeper smith5460) for his work in examining possible political reasons for the closings. Freeper smith5460 has created a blog to update us on his research: http://chryslerdealershipshutdown.blogspot.com His work was first picked up by Doug Ross and then RedState. It then went to Michelle Malkin and is now on Newsmax, and the Wall Street Journal among many many others.

There appears to be a side to the Chrysler bankruptcy that has the look of an ugly partisanship not seen in this town since Tricky Dick was in the White House composing his enemies list and checking it twice every night while watching the evening TV newscast. Bloggers on the Right side of the Blogosphere are up in arms over data suggesting that President Barack Obama’s White House auto industry potentates are targeting for closure Chrysler dealers with records of contributing either to Republicans like Sen. John McCain or to other Democrats in the 2008 presidential primary. Posts at RedState,...

More Hope and Change... ** Earlier it was reported that the Obama Administration may have targeted GOP donors in deciding which Chrysler dealerships would have to close their doors. ** Last night it was discovered that a Big Dem Donor Group was allowed to keep all 6 Chrysler dealerships open.... And, their local competitors were eliminated by Obama's task force. ** The closings also tend to be in "Red" Counties where Obama lost. ** Even Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla) lost his Chrysler dealership in Florida and found out from a colleague on the House floor. Now this... Doug Ross says...

Increasing numbers of Chrysler dealers are disputing the bankrupt automaker’s claim that it selected dealerships for closure on purely economic grounds, and they have filed a suit against the automaker in U.S. bankruptcy court. "My business is being stolen from me under the guise of the bankruptcy laws [and] given to another dealer down the street," Jim Anderer, owner of Island Jeep in Lindenhurst, N.Y., told Reuters. Like many of the 789 Chrysler dealerships slated for closure, Anderer claims his retail outlet was profitable. Many of the closed dealers were also major donors to Republican candidates and political action committees,......

Are we looking at the biggest political scandal since Watergate? Big Dem Donor Group allowed to keep all 6 Chrysler dealerships open.... Local competitors eliminated by Obama's task force!! Earlier it was reported that the Obama Administration may have targeted GOP donors in deciding which Chrysler dealerships would have to close their doors. Now there's this... RLJ-McLarty-Landers is owned by three men. One was the former Chief of Staff for President Clinton. One is the founder of Black Entertainment Television and a huge Obama supporter. All 6 of their Chrysler dealerships will remain open. And, get this... Their local competitors...