-Caveat Lector- ------- Forwarded message follows ------- Date sent: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 03:39:34 -0700 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Ken Houghton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: FEAR: WA Signature Drive Begins for Asset Forfeiture Reform Initiative (I-256) Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Precedence: bulk Reply-To: Ken Houghton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Organization: Forfeiture Endangers American Rights http://www.fear.org/ FEAR also offers an unmoderated discussion list and digests for all lists List update: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?subject=FEAR-list-update For Immediate Release: July 19, 2001 Signature Drive Begins for Asset Forfeiture Reform Initiative Olympia, WA - Supporters of civil asset forfeiture reform Thursday kicked off the effort to gather signatures for Initiative 256, the Innocent Property Owners Protection Initiative. "We've just completed the printing of the first batch of petitions and are sending them out to volunteers around the state," said Erne Lewis, president of Liberty Initiatives. "Under current law, people have lost homes, cars, boats, cash and other property without ever being convicted of a crime. That's just plain wrong. We're asking Washington's registered voters to help restore the principle of 'innocent until proven guilty' by signing an I-256 petition." Lewis pointed out that asset forfeiture laws were passed with the best intentions to fight drug dealers, but cases such as that of Judith Roderick of Lacey demonstrate the need to make major reforms. "Mrs. Roderick is a grandmother and accountant whose business was shut down, property seized, and bank accounts impounded because, unknown to her, one of her clients was a suspected drug dealer," said Lewis. "Even though she was never charged with a crime, her business was devastated, it took years for her to get her property back and her reputation still suffers. This can and does happen to ordinary, law-abiding citizens and it must stop." Lewis said IPOPI is gaining support from organizations and people of all political and ideological stripes. "Our honorary chairman is former Republican Congressman Jack Metcalf," said Lewis. "I-256 has also been endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Citizens for Legislators with Ethics and Accountability Now, the Council for Legislative Action Washington, and the Libertarian Party of Washington." According to Lewis, the measure would place the burden of proof upon the accusing agency to prove that the owner of the property to be forfeited is guilty of a crime and that the property was used in the crime or was obtained through proceeds of the crime. It also requires that the value of the property to be forfeited is proportionate to the crime committed. Also, under I-256, all money received from the sale of appropriately forfeited property would go to the state education fund and drug treatment programs, rather than to the seizing government agency as it now does. Supporters have until the end of the year to obtain just under 200,000 valid signatures, but the goal is to get at least 250,000 to compensate for any duplicate or invalid signatures. It would then go the state lawmakers who can either pass I-256 or send it to the voters for consideration in November 2002. Lewis said people wanting more information on I-256 can go to the organization's website at www.libertyinitiatives.org or call 360-866-8784. For more information, contact Erne Lewis at 360-866-8784 ****************************************************** FEAR also offers an unmoderated discussion list and digests for all lists List unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe ****************************************************** ------- End of forwarded message ------- -- Best Wishes What does Sharon Stone know about policy? -- Barbra Streisand, fuming that Stone had been invited to visit Bill Clinton more than she. What does the 'DF' in the DF-31 Chinese missle stand for? 'Democratic Fundraiser'. - G. Gordon Liddy <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
