Sen. Lee Responds to New DOJ Asset Forfeiture Policy
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Wednesday regarding the Department of Justice’s new asset forfeiture policy:
“Back in May I encouraged the Department of Justice to review its policies on civil asset forfeiture in light of increasing indications from the Supreme Court that this practice is constitutionally suspect,” Sen. Lee said. “Instead of revising forfeiture practices in a manner to better protect Americans’ due process rights, the DOJ seems determined to lose in court before it changes its policies for the better.”
On May 31, Senator Lee, along with Senators Paul, Crapo, Udall, Heinrich, and King wrote to the Department of Justice regarding civil asset forfeiture. The letter read, in part, that DOJ “need not wait for Supreme Court censure before reforming [civil asset forfeiture] practices” and encouraging DOJ “to revise its civil asset forfeiture practices to reflect our nation’s commitment to the rule of law and due process.”
The May letter and press release can be found here.
An electronic version of this release can be found here.
