THE MAINE FORUM – FIRST AMENDMENT CASE (Part 1)

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

My name is Dottie Lafortune. I produced and hosted a public access t.v. talk show, The Maine Forum, from April 18, 2001 to July 2002 when (now former mayor) Donna Dion and (now former city councilor) Jim Grattelo banned me from Biddeford Public Access. My reasons for going public was due to the controlled mainstream media’s refusal to print or broadcast the truth that people had a right to know. I was tired of having issues brushed under the rug. The Maine Forum was a vehicle used to educate and inform the public on issues that involved everyone at the local, county, state and federal levels. It was time to take a stand for my (our) rights before we no longer had any rights left. Many wonderful and interesting people from Maine to California were guests on my program.

The July 4, 2001 program “What Price Justice?’ featured Philip Castora, a licensed Private Investigator, who gave a report containing his opinions and conclusions with respect to various public documents relative to his investigation into fraudulent confiscations of property through the concerted actions of city officials, bankers, the courts…….and let’s not forget William Zafirson, HAZA Auctioneer who went crying to the mayor because I mentioned his name on my program. William Zafirson complaint.

(UPDATED)  More details into the “What Price Justice” program. In addition to Private Investigator Philip Castora’s presentation of the theft of Marion Lafortune’s home, he also presented documented evidence on the theft of Dorothy Lafortune’s business property. Details on Marion’s property:

 August 26, 1994 confidential memo behind closed doors.

Marion Lafortune wanted this issue presented before the city council. Mayor James Grattelo denied this request. Marion was not an employee of the city/state and this issue should NOT have been discussed “behind closed doors.”

A fraudulent foreclosure was entered against my mother, Marion Lafortune, on August 24, 1993 by Coastal Bank, Robert Hirshon counsel and former President of the ABA. She fought to her death and died before seeing justice.  The accomplices in this theft by City of Biddeford officials, James Grattelo, Atty. Harry Center, are the same officials involved in the theft of my home. Others involved,  Auctioneer William Zafirson, Atty. Jens-Peter-Bergen and York County Superior/District Court justices Fritzsche, Arthur Brennan,Robert E. Crowley and Christine Foster to name a few.

During the fraudulent foreclosure against my mother, Coastal Bank continued to accept my mother’s monthly checks.

Police Report on the arrest of my mother for criminal trespass upon her own property, August 8, 1994. No judgment, no writ of possession.

August 17, 1994 my mother filed an Injunction and it was denied by Judge Paul Fritzsche December 6, 1994, three months afterthe sale of her home.

September 1994 Notice and sale. The book and page registry of deeds numbers are not my mother’s property. Researching the records, people would find these book and page numbers referred to Kennebunkport Investment Corp. A great scheme to conceal the fraud and controversy surrounding this “taking.”

October 26, 1995 Deeds office – can’t find judgment.

September 16, 1994 letter from D.A. Michael Cantara to Biddeford Police Chief Roger Beaupre.

November 1, 1994 Not Guilty

June 30, 1997 Maine Treasury relative to the law firm of Drummond and Woodsom.

My mother was left with the clothes on her back (like me) as Southeast Moving removed all of her belongings from her home. The Bureau of Corporations shows that Southeast Moving had not filed as a business since 1992. Everything was removed including her vehicle (which was never recovered).

Dorothy’s business property –

In 1984 I purchased Commercial property (per my deed) and received from the City of Saco a permit to operate a dance studio and a retail store. I decided to close the store and do something else with that part of the building in order to generate more income. I went to the City of Saco officials and was denied a permit being told that was in a Residential area.  I  had retained Atty. Stuart Tisdale of Portland, Maine to help with the “schenanigans” of underhanded Saco-Biddeford Savings bankers and city of Saco officials . He notified me after a hearing was held that I had lost the property. Subsequently, city officials allowed the bank to sell my property as Commercial Property. An auction was held on the property. I went to this auction and a friend of mine bid on the property. After my friend’s highest bid was made, the auctioneer, Peter Zafirson, (relative to William Zafirson) took a break and went outside with the bankers and their attorney. After a ten minute break they came back into the building and the auction continued. The bank made a bid higher than my friend’s bid. The auction ended abruptly and the bank ended up with the property for $80-$82,000. The Notice of Public Sale published in the newspaper listed the property at $134,000. I can only guestimate that I owed the bank about $70,000 because I never did get any loan documentation on my refinancing in 1991. 

According to the Registry of Deeds office, the bank sold the property to S.B.M. Corp., deed, page 2 some members who are officers in this bank, William Kany, Pres. of the bank and loan officer Melvin Wilbur whom I dealt with in 1991 in the refinancing of my properties and was not able to obtain loan documentation. According to the bankers, they didn’t have the documentation. S.B.M. Corp. deed sold the property to Mr. Bruce Haskell, the second lowest bidder (also the bank’s photographer) at the auction and he brought his business to this location. Mr.Haskell sold his mortgage, deed, page 2, back to the bank for $1.00. I’ve pursued the bank’s “taking” of my property and my livelihood since l993. (I apologize, the links yet to be added.)  As we are witnessing today official corruption, a corrupt judicial system, etc. this pattern has gone on for decades. Justice and Accountability are long overdue! (End of update)

A copy of “What Price Justice?” was mailed out to many of you out there and you know the contents of the broadcast. It’s time for public exposure of this First Amendment violation.

In the coming weeks I will detail the MCLU’s involvement in the filing of a complaint against the city, the journey through the court system and the results. I will detail the subsequent actions taken against me in order to prevent me from the use of Biddeford’s Public Access.

THE MAINE FORUM – FIRST AMENDMENT CASE (Part 2)