Forfeiture Reform Activists:
Support Resources

The purpose of this page is to provide resources to volunteer activists that are fighting for Forfeiture Reform. Specifically, the page will provide links to supporting and related organizations, individuals, and information.

Resources

• Organizations

• Cato Institute
  See their page on the conference they sponsored May 3, 1999, "Forfeiture Reform: Now, or Never?"
• F.E.A.R (Forfeiture Endangers American Rights)
  This organization has been in the forefront of Forfeiture Reform for many years now. The web site is a great resource of useful material, including laws, legislation, victim support, briefs, and an archive of forfeiture articles. The site is now undergoing a major update to, among other things, correct any dead URL's.
• Bill Of Attainder Project

A civil liberties organization started by the Libertarian Party of Oklahoma. The project contacts political activists, organizations and others to forward the cause of preventing laws that plunder life, liberty, and property.
• The Drug Policy Foundation

This organization is very active in the fight for reform or our nation's drug policy. Since forfeiture is a child of the Drug War, eliminating this costly and failed government venture should be the highest of our priorities.
• [to be continued . . .]

• People

• Activists:

  Of course, I cannot list all the activists involved with forfeiture reform as it would take up too much room and is constantly changing. Instead, I will list a few of the major players. If you know of others that should be listed, including yourself, let me know.

  • [ . . . later]

• Attorneys:

  • California: Brenda Grantland, President of FEAR
  • New York: Steven L. Kessler   (Expert in asset forfeiture. Has several good articles on-line.)
  • Brant Hadaway, author of the essay, "Executive Privateers: A Discussion on Why the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act Will Not Significantly Reform the Practice of Forfeiture", is a lawyer with the firm, FOWLER, RODRIGUEZ & CHALOS.
  • Walker Chandler, a long time FEAR supporter and activist, is a lawyer in Georgia. More information can be obtained by surfing his web site.
  • [to be continued . . .]

• Government

  • Contractors
  • DynCorp
    A "Beltway Bandit" that works for DOJ -- to help manage the loot (mostly computer inventory stuff) -- and lots of other government agencies. There is a great deal of information on this sleazy organization at "DynCorp Sucks" web site [Whoops -- off line!]. It is not pretty.
  • EG&G Services
  
  These folks are typical of government contractors in that they provide a service of doing the routine work that would never get done if left up to the "Civil Servants". They work for the Treasury Department, Customs, and other agencies, their specialty being the management of the loot. Basically, they provide the same services for Treasury that DynCorp provides for the Justice Department.
  • [to be continued. . .]
  
  
  • Agencies
  • The U.S. Treasury's site on "Seized Property Auctions"
  • The Customs Department's activities in "Seizures and Forfeitures"
  • The U.S. Marshals' "Asset Seizure and  Forfeiture" site
  
  Their job is to take care of the loot and to sell it for the best price. So far, they have not done a very good job.
  Since taking care of things and selling them involves real work, they of course sub-contract it out. The list of sub-contractors for selling is at the "National Sellers List".
  • [to be continued . . .]
  • Politicians
  • Easy Ways to Contact your "Representatives"
    • The Electronic Activist
  • Senator Cochran, Thad
  • Senator Orrin Hatch

• Others

• [to be continued . . .]

• Information

• Background and History of Modern Forfeiture:

  • "The Right to Private Property" by Tibor R. Machan at the Hoover Institution (Hoover Institution Pres, 2002).
  • Donald J. Kochan's excellent essay, "Reforming Property Forfeiture Laws Protect Citizens’ Rights", at the Mackinac Center
  • "DRUG CONTROL AND ASSET SEIZURES: A REVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF FORFEITURE IN ENGLAND AND COLONIAL AMERICA" by Cecil Greek, discusses the historical basis of property seizure
  • Leonard W. Levy's book, A License to Steal, 1996, The University of North Carolina Press.

• "Forfeiture Reform Legislation: Will it be Now, or Never?", an article by Leon Felkins written at the time the Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill was being considered by our legislatures.

• Asset Forfeiture Manual , Edited by Terra Libra staff

  An introduction and primer to the asset forfeiture procedures. Helpful to those who need to defend themselves or to help others. Offers other material for a price.

• DOJ's "Assets Forfeiture Fund and Seized Asset Deposit Fund Annual Report - FISCAL YEAR 2007"

• US Code - Title 21, Section 881

  While there are many laws that invoke forfeiture, this is the biggy. This one is about drugs and was the one that started it all.

• "Asset Forfeiture: Unconstitutional Property Theft by our Governments"

  My introductory article on forfeiture originally written in 1996.

• Legislation Online

  Some sources are listed below.
  
  
  • The complete text of HR 1658, as passed in the Senate on March 27, 2000
  • DOJ version, S. 1701, Introduced in Senate by Senator Sessions
  • Henry Hyde's Bill, H.R. 1658
  • Henry Hyde's Bill, H.R. 1835, offered in 1997
    Replaced by H.R. 1965
  • The DOJ version, H.R. 1965, that replaced Hyde's bill but also failed to get out of committee
    Henry Hyde was deceived into sponsoring this "Trojan Horse" bill. He subsequently withdrew it when he became aware of its contents.
  • Henry Hyde's Forfeiture Reform bill offered in 1996, H.R. 1916
    

• GAO Reports

  Here are links to GAO reports regarding forfeiture, seizure, etc. These reports are online at the GAO site, but are listed and linked to here for your convenience. Note also, that paper versions of GAO reports are available free or at a minimal cost.

  • Seized Drugs and Firearms: FBI Needs to Improve Certain Physical Safeguards and Strengthen Accountability (Letter Report, 12/16/1999, GAO/AIMD-00-18) -- ( Text, PDF, or Summary)
  • IRS Seizures: Needed for Compliance but Processes for Protecting Taxpayer Rights Have Some Weaknesses (Chapter Report, 11/29/1999, GAO/GGD-00-4) -- (Text, PDF, or Summary)
  • IRS Seizures: Limited Progress in Eliminating Asset Management Control Weaknesses (Letter Report, 11/29/1999, GAO/GGD-00-5) -- (Text, PDF, or Summary)
  • Seized Drugs and Weapons: DEA Needs to Improve Certain Physical Safeguards and Strengthen Accountability (GAO/AIMD-00-17) -- (PDF)

• Other

• On-line Hand-out Materials, Brochures, etc.

  • Other Printable Materials
    • From the Drug Policy Foundation (DPF), we have Scott Ehlers' excellent "Policy Briefing: Asset Forfeiture (May 1999)" in PDF format. (Warning! This is 16 printed pages, a 1.9 Mb file!)

• News Items and Other Forfeiture Resource Sites

  • The Open Directory Project
  • J.D. Tuccille's "Civil Liberties: Asset Forfeiture" page.
  • Washington Post's "Cars, Cash and Crime", published March 2, 2000.