House Passes amendment To Restrict Asset Forfeiture

[Crusader Rabbit]

In Surprise Vote, House Passes Amendment To Restrict Asset Forfeiture

Zaid Jilani

In a stunning move, the House of Representatives on Tuesday approved an amendment to the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act that will roll back Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s expansion of asset forfeiture.

Amendment number 126 was sponsored by a bipartisan group of nine members, led by Michigan Republican Rep. Justin Amash. He was joined by Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna of California; Washington state’s Pramila Jayapal, a rising progressive star; and Hawaii’s Tulsi Gabbard.

Civil asset forfeiture is a practice by which law enforcement can take assets from a person who is suspected of a crime, even without a charge or conviction. Sessions revived the Justice Department’s Equitable Sharing Program, which allowed state and local police agencies to take assets and then give them to the federal government — which would in turn give a chunk back to the local police. This served as a way for these local agencies to skirt past state laws designed to limit asset forfeiture.

The amendment would roll back Sessions’ elimination of the Obama-era reforms.

Amash, the prime mover of the amendment, spoke forcefully in favor of the Obama-era rules on the House floor and the need to bring them back.

“Unfortunately these restrictions were revoked in June of this year. My amendment would restore them by prohibiting the use of funds to do adoptive forfeitures that were banned under the 2015 rules,” he explained.

Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer reached across the aisle to voice support for Amash’s effort “Civil asset forfeiture without limits presents one of the strongest threats to our civil, property, and Constitutional rights,” he said on the flood. “It creates a perverse incentive to seek profits over justice.”

The amendment passed with a voice vote, meaning it had overwhelming support.

Republican Reps. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, Raul Labrador of Idaho and Dana Rohrabacher of California joined in the effort, along with Democrat Earl Blumenauer of Oregon.


https://theintercept.com/2017/09/12...asses-amendment-to-restrict-asset-forfeiture/

Let's hope the Senate follows accordingly.

 

[igrowone]

Let's hope the Senate follows accordingly.

this is one the most rational bits of legislation i've seen in a while
what's gotten into them, smoking weed or something?

 

[resin_lung]

Let's hope the Senate follows accordingly.

Fingers crossed.

 

[MJPassion]

Fuck the po po!

If I ain't got shit,
They can't take shit!

But this needs to pass for those that do have a few things they've gathered over their years.

 

[P-NUT]

The hell if they wont take what little you have even if you're broke. My local pigs stole $250 and tried to confiscate my car for a misdemeanor amount. I was charged with a felony because they wanted to take my shit. Only reason I kept my car was I owed too much on it still. I even proved that 250 was the remainder of my paycheck and couldnt get it back. When cops steal your hard earned money it really makes you look at the world like wtf even the people that are supposed to protect me from bad people wanna rob me and take my shit. Makes you wanna do the same to them and feel justified in doing so even if thats not your normal way of thinking.

 

[Betterhaff]

Well hopefully this sends a message to Sessions as to the toleration of his policies.

 

[Boyd Crowder]

honestly it makes you wonder why theres been so little blowback from the streets yaknow?

 

[mushroombrew]

Civil Asset Forfeiture, Mandatory minimums and private federal prisons...

Land of the Free?

Fuck off.

You need a permit for just about everything these days. Probably need an oil change permit for my truck too in the future?

On a more positive note I hope they revoke this totally illegal procedure.

 

[Gry]

Decency from DC huh? Sounds real good. I will click my heels together, and hope that politicians would reel in police powers. Sure won't bust a lung trying to hold in bong hits waiting for it.
Way past time for more bong hits.

 

[MJPassion]

How the hell do ya regulate the second biggest gang on earth (police) when they're trying to integrate with the largest gang on earth (military)?

 

[Betterhaff]

Especially when they’re (police) buying their stuff (military).

 

[brown_thumb]

How the hell do ya regulate the second biggest gang on earth (police) when they're trying to integrate with the largest gang on earth (military)?

That's definitely something to ponder... especially since the "gangs" are controlled by big corporations. The USA is a de facto kleptocratic corporatism guised behind the mask of a "supposed" democratic republic. China is a "communist (kleptocratic) corporatism" and they don't hide their lies (taxes/asset forfeitures, etc.) as much as the USA government does... though they claim the Chinese do. Six of one or a half dozen of the other!! Same=same...