Developer files lawsuit aimed at farmers that own land on Travis AFB
FAIRFIELD — A developer that has purchased thousands of acres in Fairfield has filed a new lawsuit aimed at farmers that own land on Travis Air Force Base.
It's been a months-long saga. A corporation with some secretive ties and backing has tried to buy up over 50,000 acres of land in the area around Travis Air Force Base.
Some say it's not just an economic move but an issue of national security. The fight for land near Travis Air Force base is now heading to court.
"They did what I think is the most outrageous lawsuit I've ever heard about and that is they have sued six landowners for refusing to sell their land," said Congressman John Garamendi.
Flannery Associates, the group behind nearly a billion dollars in land purchases around Travis, is now suing farm owners that won't sell.
"We do know that they have put pressure on landowners to sell," Garamendi said.
One farmer spoke to CBS13 on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing legal dispute.
"Flannery have made two formal offers, but we have been contacted maybe four, five or six times totally: one in-person visit, several phone calls, several snail mails and a few emails," the farmer said.
In their lawsuit filing, Flannery stated: "This is a simple case about a group of wealthy landowners who saw an opportunity to conspire, collude, price fix and illegally overcharge Flannery."
But there is a larger issue about the source of Flannery's — who is based in Delaware — finances. No one knows their origin.
"Delaware is opaque," Garamendi said. "The laws in Delaware make it impossible to find out who is behind an LLC."
With that secrecy carries national security concerns.
"It presents a major concern because we have no idea who the owners are," Garamendi said. "We smell Chinese money."
He and others in Congress are prepared to step in on behalf of military and social interests.
"There's legislation in place in the National Defense Authorization Act to give more powers to the Department of Defense to protect its' critical assets," Garamendi said.
The lawsuit is for over $500 million and there's no timeline on when or if this will ever get resolved in the Fairfield area.