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Sen. Rand Paul has long taken the lead in calling for the reform of civil asset forfeiture laws, a controversial police practice in which authorities basically steal the property of citizens without due process and littlerecourse. Billions have been seized from citizens by the police based on nothing more than suspicion, which many see as a direct violation of the Fifth Amendment.

Its state-sanctionedtheft.Under civil forfeiture laws, your property is guilty until you prove it innocent, says the Institute for Justices Scott Bullock.

On Thursday, Sen. Paulreintroduced FAIR (Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration)Act, which specifically addresses victims of civil asset forfeiture who have not been convicted of a crime.

RELATED:John McCain says Rand Paul is now working for Vladimir Putin

The federal government has made it far too easy for government agencies to take and profit from the property of those who have not been convicted of a crime,Pauls statement read. TheFAIRActwill protect Americans Fifth Amendment rights from being infringed upon by ensuring that government agencies no longer profit from taking the property of U.S. citizens without due process.

The House companion FAIR legislation is being introduced by Republican Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan.

Some have observed that if implemented, this legislation could be the most significant reform in decades. Heritage Foundation policy analyst Jason Snead writesat The Hill, The bill, if passed, would be the most sweeping reform of abuse-prone federal civil forfeiture law since the 1980s.

Back then, Congress turned to civil forfeiture laws to empower law enforcement authorities to seize and forfeit the ill-gotten gains of drug kingpins, criminal organizations, and money launderers, as well as the property they used to commit their crimes. To encourage the use of this newly enhanced tool, Congress created the Assets Forfeiture Fund and allowed federal law enforcement agencies to keep the proceeds of successful forfeitures.

The result? An exponential increase in forfeiture activities. In 1985, the first year the fund existed, itbrought in just $27 million. In 2012, the value of forfeited assets was $4.3 billion. Today, more than 400 federal laws authorize the seizure of cash, cars, and homes for a range of alleged offenses, and allow forfeiture proceeds to be divided with state and local agencies through Equitable Sharing programs administered by the Treasury and Justice Departments.

The issue of criminal justice reform is not new, but receiving popular support is a fairly recent trend. Both right and left, Republicans and Democrats, have been instrumental in raising awareness at both the local and national level.

Paul and Walberg first introduced the FAIR Act in 2014, Snead writes. At the time, civil forfeiture was something few people had heard of, and there appeared to be little appetite for reform.

But in the years since, dozens of state legislatures have reined in their abuse-prone forfeiture statutes, and last year Congress advanced several forfeiture-reform bills, though none has yet made it to the presidents desk, he added.

RELATED:Rand Paul asks why good socialist Bernie Sanders wont pay the same tax rate as Donald Trump

Some criticized Pauls vote to confirm President Trumps Attorney General Jeff Sessions in February precisely because Sessions has been outspoken in opposing reform to civil asset forfeiture. Paul noted that any other appointment to that post would likely have the same positions on this issue, and also that as a senate colleague he felt he could try to change Sessions mind, something that would be more difficult with an Attorney General with whom Paul had no prior relationship.

Nor are Pauls mind-changing efforts limited to Sessions.

There was a discussion the other day in the White House about civil asset forfeiture, Paul said in February. I think civil asset forfeiture is a terrible idea until youve convicted someone, and Id like to have that discussion with the president,the senator added.

Disclosure: I co-authored the 2011 book The Tea Party Goes to Washington with Sen. Rand Paul.

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Rand Paul introduces the most sweeping reform of civil asset forfeiture law in decades - Rare.us

The in-house Republican battle over the repeal of Obamacare is about to boil overas Kentucky Sen.Rand Paul and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) are engaged in an increasingly sharp war over words over their disagreements on how to proceed forward with the promised repeal and replace of former President Obamas signature legislation.

Paul has been waging a war against the House GOP Obamacare repeal and replace plan since before it was given to the public. Calling it Obamacare Lite, Paul has lambasted not only the bill, but his fellow Republicans for their less-than-diligentattempts at getting rid of the unpopular health care law. This time, he turned his attention toward Ryan, who has been the bills primary spokesman.

I think that Paul Ryans selling [Donald Trump] a bill of goods that he didnt explain to the president, and the grassroots doesnt want what Paul Ryan is selling, Paultold CNN.

Paul Ryan, during an segment on CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, fired back at the Kentucky senator, claiming that his remarks were a jab at President Donald Trump.

Frankly, I think thats kind of an insulting remark to the president as if he doesnt know what hes doing, Ryan said.

We think this is a smarter way to go, Ryan said to Tapper. The alternative is the status quo, and the status quo is in the middle of a collapse.

Ryanhas made the case that this version of the Obamacare repeal bill is the closest we will ever get to repealing it.

Paul, however, believes that Trump is open to changing his mind on the health care bill, despite his prior statements of broad approval,and that its Republican leadership who have dug in their heels.

They are not going to compromise. So the only way that we are going to get to a compromise where they listen to the grassroots that wants complete repeal, the only way we got to that compromise is that we have to demonstrate to the House leadership that we have the votes to stop them.

Other Republicans in Congress have joined Paul in his efforts to push a more conservative version of a repeal bill, which focuses solely on repeal, and repeal alone. Rep. Jim Jordan and Paul have both submitted versions of the bill in the Senate and the House, and has the support of conservative legislators such as Rep.Justin Amash, Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Jeff Duncan, and Sen. Tom Cotton. This list of allies now also includes a group of moderate Republicans rattled by the recent Congressional Budget Office report.

As the battle continues between the conservatives and GOP leadership, the faith of the voters hangs in the balance, according to the conservatives. Paul believes that should the GOP pass Obamacare Lite, Republicans will pay for it come election time. Duncan wrote in the Daily Signalthat should the bill pass, voters will feel betrayed.

If that is true, then winner of the struggle between Paul and Ryan may determine the GOPs future momentum.

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It's Rand Paul vs Paul Ryan in the battle over Obamacare and the future of the GOP - TheBlaze.com

Sen. Rand Paul coming to Louisville

Chris Williams, WHAS 12:18 PM. EDT March 17, 2017

Louisville, KY - Senator Rand Paul is scheduled to return to Kentucky Monday but a spokesperson for his campaign says Senator Paul will not attend the Presidents rally that night in Louisville.

The Monday event is billed as a Legislative Coffee with the St. Matthews Chamber of Commerce. A spokesperson for Senator Paul said the meeting is not open to the public and has been on the schedule for weeks. The meeting with businesses leaders is designed to discuss the first 100 days of the new administration and its impact on business, according to the Senators office.

The Senator is scheduled to return to Washington, D.C. after the St. Matthews event and will not attend the rally President Trump is holding that night at Freedom Hall.

Kelsey Cooper, a spokesperson for Senator Paul, insisted that returning to D.C. was in no way an effort to avoid an appearance with the President whom Senator Paul has been at odds recently regarding the GOP plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare. Miss Cooper said Senator Paul has to return to Capitol Hill for a series of other legislative obligations.

Senator Paul is always happy to have President Trump in Kentucky, and looks forward to continuing to work with the administration and Congress to address healthcare reform with a real repeal of Obamacare and replace it with conservative market-based solutions that will bring down prices and give families more choices, said Kelsey Cooper.

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Rand Paul coming to Louisville, but not for Trump | WHAS11.com - WHAS11.com

Sen. John McCain appears during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on March 14, 2017, on Capitol Hill.(Photo: Tasos Katopodis, AFP/Getty Images)

Rand Paul thinks it might be time for John McCain to retire from the Senate because maybe he's gotten a little bit unhinged."

"I think he makes a really, really strong case for term limits, the Kentucky Republican said Thursday morning on MSNBC. I think maybe he's past his prime.

McCain, a Republican from Arizona, is 80 years old and was just elected to his sixth term in the Senate in November.

Pauls comments followed McCains accusation Wednesday that Paul was working forthe president of Russia.

"The senator from Kentucky is now working for Vladimir Putin," McCain said on the Senate floor after Paul blocked a bipartisan attempt to vote on a treaty that would allow Montenegro to join NATO.

McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, had joined Democratic colleagues to push for debate on the treaty. Paul objected the motion and then left.

"I note the senator from Kentucky leaving the floor without justification or any rationale for the action that he has just taken," McCain said."That is really remarkable, that a senator blocking a treaty that is supported by the overwhelming number perhaps 98 at least of his colleagues would come to the floor and object and walk away."

"The only conclusion that you can draw is he has no argument to be made he has no justification for his objection to having a small nation be part of NATO that is under assault from the Russians, McCain continued.

Paul does not support expansion of the military alliance and haspreviously blocked a treatyto allow Montenegro in.

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Rand Paul and John McCain trade jabs, as Paul calls McCain 'past his prime,' 'unhinged' - USA TODAY

On Thursday, Sen. Rand Pau (R-Ky) and Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) reintroduced the Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration (FAIR) Act in Congress. The bill, if passed, would be the most sweeping reform of abuse-prone federal civil forfeiture law since the 1980s.

Back then, Congress turned to civil forfeiture laws to empower law enforcement authorities to seize and forfeit the ill-gotten gains of drug kingpins, criminal organizations, and money launderers, as well as the property they used to commit their crimes. To encourage the use of this newly enhanced tool, Congress created the Assets Forfeiture Fund and allowed federal law enforcement agencies to keep the proceeds of successful forfeitures.

Local, state, and federal lawmakers control none of this vast sum of money. Law enforcement agencies can spend it all outside normal appropriations processes.

The resulting lack of accountability and perverse financial incentive are troubling enough, but civil forfeiture laws go a step further. Innocent property owners quickly discover that the deck is stacked against them from the start. Prosecutors need only demonstrate that property is forfeitable by a preponderance of the evidence. To rebut this, property owners must essentially prove they are innocent, a complete reversal of Americas traditional presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Most cases never get as far as a courtroom, though, and end instead in so-called administrative forfeitures. In these instances, the law enforcement agency that seized the property and stands to gain financially by keeping it plays the role of judge, prosecutor, and jury all in one.

Sometimes these cases make it no further than the side of the road, as law enforcement officials trade freedom for any cash that suspects are carrying. In a recent statement questioning the constitutionality of civil forfeiture,Justice Clarence Thomasreminded readers of the terrible systemic abuses in Tenaha, Texas. For three years, innocent, primarily minority drivers were threatened with arrest unless they voluntarily forfeited their money and valuables on the spot.

All the while, some officials have been caught letting likely criminals go free in exchange for their cash.One Oklahoma sheriff now faces criminal chargesfor releasing a meth dealer (who was later convicted in Kansas) on condition that he voluntarily forfeit $10,000.

Clearly, civil forfeiture law is in need of reform, and the FAIR Act proposes sweeping changes that match those called for byThe Heritage Foundation. Among other things, the bill provides for indigent defense in all forfeiture cases. It shifts the burden of proof squarely to the government, and requires that prosecutors make their case by clear and convincing evidence, a much higher bar than the preponderance standard, which mirrors state forfeiture reforms throughout the country.

Crucially, the FAIR Act would also eliminate the forfeiture financial incentive altogether. Federal forfeiture proceeds would go directly to the general fund to be dispersed by Congress, and the equitable sharing program would be abolished. Federal agencies would no longer be able to seize their way to higher budgets, and state and local officials would no longer be incentivized to bypass more restrictive state forfeiture laws.

Paul and Walberg first introduced the FAIR Act in 2014. At the time, civil forfeiture was something few people had heard of, and there appeared to be little appetite for reform. But in the years since, dozens of state legislatures have reined in their abuse-prone forfeiture statutes, and last year Congress advanced several forfeiture-reform bills, though none has yet made it to the presidents desk.

Poll after poll reveals broad public support for stronger protections against unjust and baseless seizures. Some even show aremarkably high percentage of Americanshave been directly affected by forfeiture.

We can no longer afford to ignore the problem. Congress can make 2017 the year of forfeiture reform.

Jason Snead (@JasonWSnead) is a policy analyst inThe Heritage Foundations Institute for Constitutional Government.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

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Rand Paul, Tim Walberg Bring Forfeiture Reform to the 115th ... - The Hill (blog)