Eric Holder accuses Jeff Sessions of ‘another extremist action’ on asset forfeiture – Washington Examiner

Eric Holder, who led the Justice Department under President Obama, criticized his successor Attorney General Jeff Sessions Monday for announcing a new policy to make it easier to seize the cash and property of suspected drug traffickers.

In a tweet, Holder wrote that Sessions' policy was "another extremist action."

"This is a reform that was supported by conservatives and progressives, Republicans and Democrats," Holder said.

Holder is referring to a Justice Department memo he issued in 2015 that limited a type of practice that allowed local police to share the proceeds of seized cash and property with the federal government.

The act of civil asset forfeiture has been criticized by Democrats and Republicans because in many instances, neither a criminal conviction or a charge is necessary for police to seize cash and property.

Sessions was a leading supporter of asset forfeiture when he served in the Senate.

"With care and professionalism, we plan to develop policies to increase forfeitures," Sessions said Monday during a speech to the National District Attorney's Association in Minneapolis. "No criminal should be allowed to keep the proceeds of their crime."

In addition to the planned asset forfeiture policy change, Sessions has also reversed another major Holder initiative. Holder had issued memos directing prosecutors to not seek mandatory minimum sentences for low-level drug offenses.

In May, Sessions directed federal prosecutors to "charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense" in drug cases, including mandatory minimums.

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Eric Holder accuses Jeff Sessions of 'another extremist action' on asset forfeiture - Washington Examiner

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