Jeff Sessions’ Push for Civil Asset Forfeiture Should Concern Conservatives

FreedomWorks Vice President of Legislative Affairs Jason Pye released the following statement on the recent action from Attorney General Jeff Sessions to increase the power of law enforcement to confiscate property of people who are innocent until proven guilty:

“Jeff Sessions’ tendency to expand state power against people who have not been found guilty should concern conservatives. We’ve made real progress in curbing civil asset forfeiture in the states, and Sessions would usurp these reforms and take property from people who have never even been convicted of a crime.

“The Justice Department’s own Inspector General raised serious concerns about the forfeiture program in a report in March, saying it lacks proper oversight. By expanding government power to take property without appropriate due process, even when state laws don’t allow it, Sessions is signaling he answers to no one.

“FreedomWorks calls on Congress to rein in our attorney general and pass aggressive civil asset forfeiture reform now."