"The Internal Revenue Service seized $107,702 in company profits from Lyndon McLellan just because agents didn’t like the size of the convenience store owner’s bank deposits. If a bipartisan proposal before Congress had been the law of the land, though, the IRS could not have justified the money grab.Countless Americans like McLellan, who never intended to commit a crime, will avoid his heartache—and that of thousands of others—if Congress acts to curb the ability of law enforcement agencies to seize individuals’ money and property without even filing a charge.
“I’m no politician, but I hope people say they need to change this,” McLellan, a North Carolina resident, said in an interview with The Daily Signal, referring to how the IRS was able to empty his bank account.Changing that is the intent of lawmakers who propose to reform the process known in legal circles as civil asset forfeiture." source
"Through a procedure called civil asset forfeiture, local, state and federal law enforcement officials have the power to seize property and money if it’s suspected of being related to a crime. In many cases, though, the property owner is never charged with a crime, and a trend has emerged of local and state law enforcement using civil asset forfeiture to raise additional money.The issue is gaining traction at the state level, as state legislatures have begun to tackle reforms. Additionally, following policy changes at the Department of Justice and the introduction of legislation called the Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act (FAIR), Congress is turning to address civil asset forfeiture." Source
Here’s what you need to know about civil asset forfeiture and what experts are saying Congress needs to do to protect the rights of innocent property owners. Takeaway of Reform: It’d Be Harder for Authorities to Take Away Your Cash, Property
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