Frank Underwood could be the latest victim of eminent domain. “House of Cards” has threatened to abandon filming in Maryland, unless state lawmakers offered millions more in tax credits.
So Del. William Frick countered: He introduced an amendment that would let the government seize the property of the production company behind the popular Netflix series, if it leaves the state. “I literally thought: What is an appropriate Frank Underwood response to a threat like this? Eminent domain really struck me as the most dramatic response,” Frick said to The Washington Post.
Remarkably, this isn't the first time Maryland tried to condemn pop culture. When Baltimore Colts fans woke up on March 29, 1984, they were in for a rude awakening: The Baltimore Colts were no longer in Baltimore. The night before, Bob Irsay, the team owner, ordered the Colts to pack up and slip out under the cover of darkness. Irsay was faced with a bizarre tactic by the city: They were planning to authorize eminent domain, a government power typically used to build infrastructure and schools, to force the Colts to stay in Baltimore. His move would both make him one of the most controversial owners in the history of the NFL and highlight a little-known ability of the government.
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