Legalized Highway Robbery – How the Government can Seize the Property of Innocent Americans

American Legislator ^ | 9-15-14 | Cara Sullivan

[ThethoughtsofGreg]

Last week, The Washington Post published “Stop and Seize,” a three-part series chronicling the government’s seizure of hundreds of millions of dollars in cash from Americans not charged with a crime.

Asset forfeiture laws are designed to protect the public and deter crime by taking property gained through criminal activity. However, criminals are not the only ones who have their property confiscated. According to The Washington Post, since 2001, police have seized $2.5 billion in cash from people who were never charged with a crime. Law enforcement must retain their ability to prevent criminals from bearing the fruits of criminal activity, but individuals not charged with a crime should not be at risk to have their property confiscated.

Under civil forfeiture laws, the government can seize an individual’s assets simply if the property is suspected to be involved in criminal behavior. This differs from criminal forfeiture laws in that, under civil forfeiture, the owner does not need to be charged with a crime to have the property taken.

[microgood]

And this is all based on the insidious notion that an inanimate object is guilty of a crime. It is so amazing how low people will sink to satisfy their dark side.

[familyop]

It’s robbery. You political regulator folks are guilty, and you know it. Everyone knows it.

[familyop]

I know of a case, where everything was confiscated from an old ranching couple—millions, cattle, equipment, money and all. They were recently exonerated of the single misdemeanor count of neglecting their cattle (terrible cold spell with deep snow/ice a few years ago), but they’re in their 80s.

[ConservingFreedom]

It was fine when they were just doing it to the drug people.

They were never just doing it to the drug people - that was a con to dupe the low-information voters (including some self-professed "conservatives".)