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Republican SenatorRand Paul slammedAttorney General Jeff Sessions support for civil asset forfeiture during a Tuesday interview, calling the practice offensive.

Fox News host Steve Doocy askedthe senator from Kentucky about his thoughts on President Donald Trumps recent criticisms of Sessions, particularly on Sessions recusal from the Russian probe and his apparent unwillingness to investigateHillary Clintons emails.

I understand both sides, Paul responded, before stating, I have my own concerns with Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

I am very much offendedby the fact that he is now promoting a policy of going after poor peoples property, taking it without a conviction, he said. This is called civil asset forfeiture.

Civil asset forfeiture allows law enforcement officers to takeassets away from peopleif those assets are suspected of being used in a crime. In order to get their property back, owners must prove that their goods were not used for criminal activity.

As Paul explains in the interview, law enforcement officers may be incentivized to improperly seize assets because those assets can then be used to fund police office expenses.

In our country you should be innocent until proven guilty and your property shouldnt be taken without a court trial, Paul argued. The fact that Attorney General Sessions is going all-in on this really is offensive to a lot of us who have been trying to reform this situation.

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Rand Paul 'Offended' By Sessions' Support For Civil Asset Forfeiture [VIDEO] - The Daily Caller

Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday that President Trump likely has the power to pardon himself under the U.S. Constitution.

The Kentucky Republicans interpretation of the Constitution comes after the president tweeted Saturday about having the complete power to pardon, and after The Washington Post reported that Mr. Trump discussed pardons with his advisers.

The question about whether Mr. Trump has the authority to pardon himself is being debated as the investigation into connections between his campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 election heats up.

I think, in all likelihood, he does, Mr. Paul said during an interview on CNNs State of the Union. I think that some of this hasnt been adjudicated.

Mr. Paul said he understands the president is frustrated with the constant allegations of collusion, but he cautioned him from thinking about pardoning family members or himself.

But Jay Sekulow, one of Mr. Trumps lawyers, said the issue would likely end up at the U.S. Supreme Court, and he told ABCs This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos that no one from the legal team is researching pardoning powers for the president.

The issue of pardons is not on the table. Theres nothing to pardon from, Mr. Sekulow said Sunday. Were not researching it, I havent researched it because its not an issue were concerned with or dealing with.

Mr. Trump said in one of his tweets on Saturday: While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS.

According to The Post report, Mr. Trump has inquired about the authority he has as president to pardon aides, relatives or even himself.

Congressional lawmakers say Mr. Trumps eldest son and his former campaign chairman wont be forced to testify publicly this week as part of the Russia election meddling investigation. Donald Trump Jr. and former campaign Chairman Paul Manafort are discussing undergoing a private interview with the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The committees chairman, Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican, and top Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, also say they are negotiating with Mr. Trump Jr. and Mr. Manafort about possibly turning over documents.

Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and top White House aide, is scheduled to speak behind closed doors with the Senate Intelligence Committee on Monday and the House intelligence committee on Tuesday.

Mr. Trump defended his son in one of the tweets, saying he openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails!

Mr. Trumps eldest son has become a focus of the investigation after it was revealed that he, Mr. Kushner and Mr. Manafort met with Russian representatives at Trump Tower in June 2016. Mr. Trump Jr. later released email exchanges concerning the meeting on Twitter, after learning that The New York Times was about to publish them.

This article includes wire service reports.

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Rand Paul: Trump likely has ability to pardon himself - Washington Times

Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday that savings from buying foreign-made goods "allows working-class people to have savings to get a television set, to go on vacation, to buy gas for their truck." | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday theres a reason why buying American-made goods is not always the best option: cost.

You know, I think all of us have this goal to buy American, but we have to think this thing through, Paul told Jake Tapper on CNNs "State of the Union."

Story Continued Below

Tapper was pressing Paul on why President Donald Trump touted "Made in the USA" goods all week but still hires foreign workers at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida. Tapper also noted that Trump's company manufacturers a bevy of Trump-branded clothing products abroad.

The libertarian-leaning Paul said global trade, the same kind that candidate Trump slammed for ripping off the U.S., allows Americans to buy cheaper goods, stretching their dollars so they can then pay for things like a vacation or a new vehicle.

It used to be a shirt, just a regular button-up shirt, might be $20, $25, and still might be in places. And at Wal-Mart, it's $7," Paul said. "And so that savings, though, allows working-class people to have savings to get a television set, to go on vacation, to buy gas for their truck. So trade is really a good thing.

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As a candidate, Trump defended his decision to manufacture some of his own products abroad, especially apparel, characterizing himself as someone who was simply making smart business decisions based on the costs.

In response to Paul's answer, Tapper noted that the members of Mar-a-Lago, where "the membership fee is $200,000 a year," were not in the same situation as average American workers.

Paul, who ran against Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, did concede that using foreign workers at Mar-a-Lago was "different," but he did not elaborate.

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Rand Paul: Buying American isn't necessarily the right choice - Politico - Politico

Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday that President Trump likely has the power to pardon himself under the U.S. Constitution.

The Kentucky Republicans interpretation of the Constitution comes after the president tweeted about having the complete power to pardon on Saturday, and after The Washington Post reported that Mr. Trump discussed pardons with his advisers.

The question about whether Mr. Trump has the authority to pardon himself is being debated as the investigation into whether his campaign colluded with the Russian government during the 2016 election heats up, and it has legal scholars debating the issue.

I think in all likelihood he does, Mr. Paul said during an interview on CNNs State of the Union. I think that some of this hasnt been adjudicated.

Mr. Paul said he understands the president is frustrated with the constant allegations of collusion, but he cautioned him from thinking about pardoning family members or himself.

But Jay Sekulow, one of Mr. Trumps lawyers, said the issue would likely end up at the U.S. Supreme Court, and he told ABCs This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos that no one from the legal team is researching pardoning powers for the president.

The issue of pardons is not on the table. Theres nothing to pardon from, Mr. Sekulow said Sunday. Were not researching it, I havent researched it because its not an issue were concerned with or dealing with.

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Sen. Rand Paul says President Trump likely has authority to pardon himself - Washington Times

Sen. Rand PaulRand PaulThe Hill's 12:30 Report Senate heads to new healthcare vote with no clear plan Overnight Healthcare: CBO predicts 22M would lose coverage under Senate ObamaCare replacement MORE (R-Ky.) is opening the door to helping GOP leadership get a healthcare bill over a key procedural hurdle.

The Kentucky Republican said on Thursday that he would support the motion to proceed to the House-passed healthcare bill, which is being used as a vehicle for any action, if he could get a deal on amendments.

"If they want my vote, they have to at least agree that we're going to at least have a vote on clean repeal," Paul told reporters.

"I think they're pretty equal in support. Let's do a random selection. Let's have three or four of them, put them in random order, the first day, equal billing. I think that's a compromise. I'm willing to get on the bill," he said.

Senators are expected to hold a procedural vote on Tuesday.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellMitch McConnellParliamentarian deals setback to GOP repeal bill OPINION | How Democrats stole the nation's lower federal courts Flight restrictions signal possible August vacation for Trump MORE (R-Ky.) will need the support of at least 50 GOP senators to take up the House bill and let senators offer amendments, including clean repeal, the Better Care Reconciliation Act or other proposals.

Three GOP senators have said they would not take up the bill if it's to proceed to a repeal-only proposal. Paul and GOP Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) do not support the Senate GOP repeal-and-replace plan.

Paul is widely viewed as one of the most entrenched"no" votes within the GOP caucus on healthcare. If leadership is able to win him over, it could bolster their chances to at least debate if not ultimately pass healthcare legislation.

McConnell's math is even narrower with Sen. John McCainJohn McCainSen. Flake's GOP challenger: McCain should resign The Hill's 12:30 Report Armed Services leaders appoint strategy panel members MORE (R-Ariz.), who announced on Wednesday night that he had been diagnosed with brain cancer, out of Washington. It's unclear when he will return.

With McCain absent and all other 99 senators voting, McConnell can only afford to lose one GOP senator.

Paul stressed that he was not yet on board with voting "yes" on the initial hurdle, adding that there has been "resistance" to his idea.

If the Senate is able to take up the House bill any senator will be able to offer an amendment under an hours-long "vote-a-rama," but Paul said he wanted a guarantee his amendment wouldn't get buried in a "four in the morning" vote.

"Up front we have a vote on clean repeal, and maybe BRCA, and maybe Collins-Cassidy. I think the major proposals could be put at the very front. We debate them on the first day," he said.

GOP leadership signaled that they might not know what the ultimate outcome will be, repeal-only or repeal-and-replace, until after they get on the House bill.

"Asking what the first amendment is going to be actually misses the point, because anybody that's got a better idea can offer that and nobody can stop them," said Sen. John CornynJohn CornynSenators who have felt McCain's wrath talk of their respect for him Senate heads to new healthcare vote with no clear plan McCain absence adds to GOP agendas uncertainty MORE (R-Texas).

Link:
Rand Paul opens door to backing healthcare bill on key hurdle - The Hill (blog)