17 Jul Rep. Henry Hyde Needs Help to Stop Growing Police State

URGENT ALERT!!! URGENT ALERT!!!

June 17, 1999

Civil asset forfeiture laws empower the government to seize your property if it is suspected that the property was involved in a crime. But, as applied today, these laws are giving the police power to infringe on your constitutional rights and your property-even if you are innocent. Law enforcement are depriving innocent citizens of their property without basic due process. And contrary to the basic presumption in American law, you are guilty until proven innocent!

The problem is getting worse as police departments have learned to use the forfeiture act to build their own financial wealth-by taking houses, cars and bank accounts away from innocent Americans.

TO STOP IT Representative Henry Hyde has introduced “The Civil Asset Forfeiture Act” in order to restore our individual rights and liberties to unwarranted search and seizure. It also provides property owners who take reasonable steps to prevent others from using their property in criminal activity to get their property back!

This bill puts the burden of proof back where it belongs-with the government!

H.R. 1658 is scheduled to come to the floor for a vote sometime next week. We must build support for it NOW. Call your congressman today and tell him to COSPONSOR and VOTE YES on H.R. 1658.

ACTION TO TAKE:

1. Call your congressmen TODAY and urge him to cosponsor and vote for H.R. 1658. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 225-3121.

2. Get this alert to as many Americans as possible. Urge them to call their congressmen, too. The Justice Department and law enforcement are pouring calls into Congress to stop this bill in order to protect their profitable business of seizing YOUR property.

IT IS URGENT TO PASS H.R. 1658 TO SECURE OUR 4TH AMENDMENT RIGHTS.