Another day, another obscure federal agency abuses its forfeiture slush fund
Abuses of asset forfeiture money are common and widespread amongst American governmental agencies at all levels. Part of the problem is that an increasing number of federal agencies have access to...
View ArticleVictims of NOAA forfeiture abuse: New Beford fishermen
From Jonathan Hemmerdinger: The money contributed, at least in part, to NOAA’s so-called asset forfeiture fund, which houses commercial fishing penalties and forfeitures of property, which can include...
View ArticleForfeiture Bulletin, 11/15/10
From around the nation: In the Indianapolis Star, Heather Gillers and Tim Evans have an excellent piece on the practice of Indiana prosecutors hiring private counsel (sometimes themselves) to litigate...
View ArticleAsset forfeiture in the news
1. Congressman Walther Jones (R-NC) objects to proposed reforms of NOAA’s Asset Forfeiture operations because the reforms would use forfeitures to pay the salaries of administrative law judges...
View ArticleUpdate on the NOAA asset forfeiture scandal
The following editorial was published in Massachusetts’ Gloucester Times on January 23rd: A full year after the release of the preliminary report from the office of Department of Commerce Inspector...
View ArticleThoughts from the US Senate hearings on NOAA law enforcement forfeiture abuse
This Monday, June 20th, I attended a hearing of the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal...
View ArticleBarney Frank’s Asset Forfeiture Fund Reform and Distribution Act is to be...
Yesterday Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced the Asset Forfeiture Fund Reform and Distribution Act. The bipartisan legislation (co-sponsored by US Representatives Walter Jones (R-NC), John...
View ArticleEmployment shakeups at NOAA’s troubled Office of Law Enforcement
Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a press release confirming the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Buckson as the new director of NOAA’s Office of Law...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Kerry announces Oct 3rd US Senate Field Hearing On NOAA law enforcement...
Scott Brown asks, "What does it take to get fired at NOAA? Is anybody going to be fired or being held accountable?" Senator John Kerry’s office announced that the October 3rd hearing, regarding the...
View ArticleSuggestions for October 3rd US Senate Field Hearing on catch shares and NOAA...
On October 3rd, Senator John Kerry will host a field hearing at the Massachusetts State House to explore the effects of of the catch share program and to interview Dr Jane Lubchenco, Administrator of...
View ArticleElizabeth Warren should know better
Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic contender for the US Senate seat in Massachusetts currently occupied by Senator Scott Brown (R-MA), recently released a statement that’s getting considerable traction...
View ArticleNOAA Blames Congress
Monday October 3rd, Senator Kerry (D-MA) chaired a raucous Senate Subcommittee Field Hearing in a packed Massachusetts State House. The high profile hearing focused on NOAA’s (National Oceanic and...
View ArticleCongress must fix NOAA
While we welcome the additional scrutiny placed on Dr Jane Lubchenco, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); it is not sufficient. It is time for Congress to step...
View ArticleNot every government agency needs a SWAT team
Americans for Forfeiture Reform has been calling for regime change at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for some time. The latest report from the Commerce Department’s Office...
View ArticleMA: US Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) slams NOAA agency head Lubchenco for “booze...
SouthCoastToday.com reports: Rather than “undercover” work, a $300,787 luxury power boat purchased with money from the asset forfeiture fund was used mainly as a pleasure boat for “booze cruise”...
View ArticleReforming the Lacey Act
Americans for Forfeiture Reform is pleased to see U.S. Congressman Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10) bring the Freedom from Over-Criminalization and Unjust Seizures Act (FOCUS) Act of 2012, H.R. 4171 to the...
View ArticleUS Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) blasts NOAA forfeiture fund abuses in letter...
Last week, US Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) wrote a letter to Commerce Secretary John Bryson requesting a formal and direct meeting between House and Senate Appropriations and Oversight Committees,...
View ArticleForfeiture In The News: DOJ Flaunts Its Forfeiture Purse Power, Congrats To...
The Associated Press reports that the U.S. Department of Justice is purchasing an Illinois prison with asset forfeiture funds despite Congressional attempts to block the acquisition. The purchase...
View ArticleDr. Lubchenco’s Departure Is Another Opportunity For Congress To Fix NOAA
Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), announced her intent to resign, effective as...
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