Iowahawk goes on righteous tear on behalf of potential innocent victims of civil asset forfeiture

Yesterday, we told you about the Chicago woman at Dallas Love Field on a layover whose money, more than $100,000, was seized after a K-9 officer found it in her suitcase.

High praise for a K-9 officer at Dallas Love Field Airport after more than $100,000 was found in a passenger's luggage. https://t.co/lJoDg5lWfh pic.twitter.com/sA1unHSCCB

— CBS News Texas (@CBSNewsTexas) December 7, 2021

The woman wasn’t charged with any crime or even arrested, but they took her money anyway. Textbook case of civil asset forfeiture in action.

https://twitter.com/BecketAdams/status/1468307195179765763

For the record, we don’t blame the dog for this cluster. He was just doing what he’d been trained to do.

It’s the people who believe in training dogs to sniff out money so they can subsequently take it without cause who are the problem.

https://twitter.com/BecketAdams/status/1468307377342627847

That’s essentially what the justification for civil asset forfeiture boils down to.

Congratulations on your robbery, I guesshttps://t.co/0fCH0Fi7n9

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 7, 2021

Our post yesterday featured a typically fantastic Iowahawk thread on the subject of civil asset forfeiture and what an abomination it is. Apparently having had a night to sleep on it, Iowahawk is just as pissed off about it today:

Here's a valid reason someone would want to conceal a large amount of cash: they are legitimately afraid that cops will just steal it from them.https://t.co/IwyZ830Jot

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

I am somewhat perplexed by the number of people in my replies who think that there is no legitimate reason for carrying large amounts of cash, that it's evidence of crime, or that it is itself a crime.

Lemme give some examples from the old car biz.

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

I know lots of people who make their living in antique cars, buying/selling cars, and car parts, at swap meets and auctions and such. The majority of those transactions are done in cash.

"Oooh, nice old Guide headlights, how much?"

"$300, cash only."

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

I know plenty of people who bring a trailer full of parts, rolling projects, etc., to big swap meets. At the end of a good weekend, they might have $10k, $20k or more in cash, heading home. You are crazy if you don't think they're gonna conceal it.

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

Now imagine a state trooper pulls them over for a busted taillight, and they make the mistake of letting the trooper search their vehicle. Because of CAF you can bet the trooper is walking away with their cash. And >0% chance he might just impound their vehicle, too.

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

You see, the mere fact that he had a $20k wad of cash hidden in his truck is evidence that he's a mule for the Mexican cartels and stuff. "Old car swap meet"? Yeah likely story pal, here's your receipt, tell it to the judge.

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

Oh, hey, no problem. All he has to do now is hire a lawyer, spend a few months convincing a kindly judge how it was all just a big misunderstanding, after which the cops and will cheerfully return all his cash, and everyone will share a laugh about the wacky mixup, freeze frame.

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

sorry, I was hallucinating there for a minute.

There are people who buy cars at salvage auctions, or conduct estate sales, sell at farmers markets or art fairs, on and on. All have legitimate reasons for carrying large amounts of cash.

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

But there's no legitimate reason they should have to explain that to a cop so he won't just take it away from them.

The crazy thing is that CAF has no *floor* on what might be considered "sketchy" amounts of cash. There are case of $200 or less being taken.

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

Here's the current POTUS crowing in 1991 about how the CAF law he authored allows cops to take "everything they own, cars, houses, bank accounts" from people who are arrested. Not convicted, arrested. And guess what? You don't even have to be arrested.https://t.co/TinlcuPtKe

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

Another oldie but goodie from Joe Biden.

Take for example the young woman who had $100k in cash taken from her at the Dallas airport yesterday, or the former Marine who had his $87k life savings swiped by the Nevada highway cops a few days ago. Neither were arrested, nor charged with a crime.

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

But sure, let's have heroic Sniffy the Drug Doggie pose with the uncharged woman's confiscated cash that he found, because it, like 90% of bills in circulation, has trace amounts of cocaine residue on it.

Rrrrufff! Help take a bite of cash!

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 8, 2021

Something tells us that Iowahawk still has a lot more to say on this subject. We very much look forward to hearing it.

I always kind of thought due process is what separates civilization from everything else. Am I wrong or maybe we're not as civilized as I thought?

— David O. (@david_ozburn) December 8, 2021

Elon Musk was definitely onto something when he called the government “the biggest corporation with a monopoly on violence, and you have no recourse.” Look no further than civil asset forfeiture for the proof.

***

Update:

Iowahawk goes on righteous tear on behalf of potential innocent victims of civil asset forfeiture

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