[dropcap size=small]I[/dropcap]t seems that the Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is looking to challenge the nominee for Attorney General Loretta Lynch over her views on civil asset forfeiture. On the very first day of her confirmation hearings, Lynch has come out in complete support of civil asset forfeiture, calling it “an important tool” for law enforcement. This statement raised the eyebrows of Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) who called into question the “fundamental fairness” of the government’s ability to strip American citizens of their property without due process.
For those who are unaware, civil asset forfeiture is the act of law enforcement confiscating property – cars, large sums of money, even homes – if officials hold suspicions of the use of such property. This forfeiture is able to be conducted without any formal charges or warrants being issued to those whose property is being seized and it has recently garnered significant attention in the media recently.
Sen. Paul has been fighting this type of policy on the legislative front as well with his recent introduction of the FAIR (Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration) Act, which is meant to counter the widespread abilities of governments to utilize this type of action, according to the Senator’s website:
“The federal government has made it far too easy for government agencies to take and profit from the property of those who have not been convicted of a crime. The FAIR Act will ensure that government agencies no longer profit from taking the property of U.S. citizens without due process, while maintaining the ability of courts to order the surrender of proceeds of crime,” Sen. Paul said
While on Greta Van Susteren’s show on FOX News, Sen. Paul declared his intent on opposing Loretta Lynch’s confirmation as AG over this very issue. He went on saying that this type of policy disproportionately affects poor minorities and wishes that “she had a little more concern for the people who live in poverty before taking their stuff.”
There have been concerns raised over Lynch’s record as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, particularly on the topic of civil forfeiture, as documented by a recent Forbes article.
President Barack Obama’s pick of Lynch is questionable in that regard because of her enthusiastic embrace of civil asset forfeiture, which often deprives perfectly innocent people of their property.
In an editorial published November 22, “Loretta Lynch’s Money Pot,” the Wall Street Journal revealed that during her tenure as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ms. Lynch has used civil asset forfeiture in more than 120 cases, raking in some $113 million for federal and local coffers.
Unfortunately, the issue of civil asset forfeiture does not seem to be a top priority in vetting Lynch on the Republican side of the aisle, who unfortunately seem to be more focused on her views of immigration and amnesty.
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