Pubdate: Fri, 26 Dec 2014
Source: Houston Chronicle (TX)
Copyright: 2014 Houston Chronicle Publishing Company Division, Hearst Newspaper
Contact:  http://www.chron.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/198
Author: Bob Gayle

ERODING TRUST

Regarding "Stockman bill would have banned some asset seizures" (Page 
B2, Tuesday), if only Steve's Stockman's bill to stop federal seizure 
of assets could fix bad laws instead of being a political statement.

The government's ability to label goods suspicious and take them 
without any proof of illegalities is Orwellian in its reasoning.

The Justice Department claims it's an effective tool, ignoring 
innocent victims of asset seizure in the fever to stop drug 
trafficking and organized crime.

However, the original aims of civil forfeiture, which started with 
the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act in 1970, have 
changed from taking criminals' loot to swallowing crooks and 
bystanders alike into a bureaucratic cash machine.

Abrogating civil rights and bypassing due process can only hurt the 
justice system when it needs the trust of its citizens more than ever.

Bob Gayle, Houston
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom