My home. My domain. My residence. My humans. My food source and of course the location of my coveted TREATS!My humans own my house and I am okay with that. They love me and would never put me out on the street. Unfortunately, just owning your house or business and property these days doesn't seem to mean much to the government. Have you heard about civil forfeiture?
Civil forfeiture is when police and prosecutors seize property, cars or cash from someone they suspect of wrongdoing. It differs from criminal forfeiture cases, where prosecutors typically must prove a person is guilty or reach a settlement before freezing funds or selling property. In civil forfeiture, authorities don’t have to prove guilt, file charges or obtain a conviction before seizing private property. Critics say it is a process ripe for abuse, and one which leaves citizens little means of fighting back.
According to Larry Salzman, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, “It’s thuggish behavior.”
Law enforcement officials argue that civil forfeiture powers give them an effective tool against lawbreakers. Freezing funds and seizing assets allow them to hit alleged criminals, frequently suspected drug dealers, where it hurts the most – their wallets. Alarmed civil rights groups and libertarians are rallying against the practice. Salzman's group defended Russell Caswell and won the case in federal court last year.
(The government wanted Caswell's Tewksbury, Mass., business – and the land it was on – because they suspected it was a hotbed for drug-dealing and prostitution. The agents, who were working with state and local authorities, told a disbelieving Caswell they had the right to take the property, valued at as much as $1.5 million)
But not every target of civil forfeiture can afford the fight.
In 1985, the U.S. Department of Justice created its Asset Forfeiture Fund. One year later, the fund -- which holds the proceeds from seized property and is available to be divvied out to law enforcement agencies -- brought in $93.7 million. In 2008, the amount had ballooned to $1.6 billion. In 2013, it reached $6.3 billion.
Since I already know the value of my treat stash and where those treats will wind up, I would like to know who got that $6.3 BILLION and for what reason.
(Barnini Chakraborty, FoxNews.com)
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