Via Fox News:
Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday ordered the expansion of the government’s ability to seize suspects’ property – a move that puts him at odds with members of his own party who have slammed the practice for years as ripe for abuse and a violation of civil rights.
Sessions touted the use of asset forfeiture as a “key tool” for law enforcement and said it “weakens criminal organizations and the cartel.”
Sessions hinted he would issue the new directive during a speech Monday at the National District Attorneys Association.
“We hope to issue this week a new directive on asset forfeiture – especially for drug traffickers,” he said. “With care and professionalism, we plan to develop policies to increase forfeitures. No criminal should be allowed to keep the proceeds of their crime. Adoptive forfeitures are appropriate as is sharing with our partners.”
As he loosened the rules for what’s known as civil asset forfeiture, Sessions also announced he will reverse an Obama administration order that barred local authorities from using the federal system to circumvent state law – prompting his predecessor Eric Holder to label Sessions’ step as “another extremist action.”