I have written about civil forfeiture. I will continue to write about it.
Here are more details. The federal government has targeted real estate with $50,000 in equity. Real estate that is heavily mortgaged is immune. It seems that evil-doing inanimate objects need $50,000 in equity to commit a crime. If a piece of real estate is heavily mortgaged, it does not commit crimes.
This family-run motel had no debt, so it was a lurid, ruthless criminal. Unbenownst to its owner, Russ Caswell, age 68, his motel had been luring innocent victims into a life of addiction and degradation.
The federal government has sued the motel in a landmark case, “United States of America vs. 434 Main Street, Tewksbury, Massachusetts.” The government is not charging Mr. Caswell with anything. The motel has been conducting crimes that Mr. Caswell had nothing to do with.
The motel must be punished. It must be punished very specifically. It must be reformed. It must be restored from a life of crime. So, the government will sell the motel to a new owner, who will be more alert.
The federal government will give 80% of the money to the local police department, which has shown yeoman diligence in tracking the elusive actions of the motel.
The motel was built in 1955. Beginning in 1994, police have arrested 30 customers for drug dealing. The police were willing to overlook the criminal intent of the motel for over 15 years. But the police department’s tolerance finally ran out. So did the U.S. government’s tolerance.
Civil forfeiture is the obvious solution for incorrigible real estate with over $50,000 in equity. This motel has $1.5 million in equity. It is clearly incorrigible. Not one of its 56 rooms can be trusted. It has preyed on the community for far too long.
Nationally known columnist describes the situation.
The government says the rooms were used to “facilitate” a crime. It does not say the Caswells knew or even that they were supposed to know what was going on in all their rooms all the time. Civil forfeiture law treats citizens worse than criminals, requiring them to prove their innocence — to prove they did everything possible to prevent those rare crimes from occurring in a few of those rooms. What counts as possible remains vague. The Caswells voluntarily installed security cameras, they photocopy customers’ identifications and record their license plates, and turn the information over to the police, who have never asked the Caswells to do more.
The motel’s owners went to this much trouble to stop the motel from colluding with drug dealers, yet the drug deals continue. Clearly, the federal government must intervene. The integrity of America is at stake.
The government has dusted off laws that applied to pirates: civil forfeiture. Motel Caswell is not going to be flying its invisible jolly roger any more — not if the U.S. government and the Tewksbury police department have anything to say about it.
The Caswells are being defended by the Institute for Justice, a libertarian public-interest law firm. Otherwise, legal fees would eat up their equity. They would have had to borrow against the motel. But banks rarely lend to help get criminal motels off the hook.
The Caswells no doubt mean well, but it’s time that they faced facts: their motel is incorrigible under present management. It needs to be reformed.
This is America. America is fed up with motels that think they can get away with debauching our youth. This must be stopped . . . for the sake of the children. For sake of truth, justice, and the American way.
A word to the wise is sufficient.
Sounds similar to tactics first employed by the Nazis in Germany to kick Jewish business owners out and give their property to non-Jewish citizen friends of the party. And people say Obama isn't anything like Hitler….hmmm.
Once the Fed gets a hold of this motel, they will turn around and sell it to the Middle Easterners or Indians for pennies on the dollar. Which these minorities can afford to buy because of the thousands of dollars in grant money that is made available to them and only to them to start up a business. I am looking to buy a motel in a resort area and this is what I am hearing through the grapevine. As much as $250,000.00 is available in free grant money. I do not qualify for any grants because I am an American Citizen? The politicians are selling America’s landmarks for a price of a vote. It's a shame!
omg.. so how about forcing the police TO DO THEIR FREAKING JOB and catch the drug dealers. Stake out the hotel to PROTECT it? PhKing tyrannous gvt we have. @ETY you are absolutely correct on your statements as this has been done before.
Sounds like city pinheads have figured out a way of making money for the city/county/state without raising taxes. If someone has equity in ANYTHING, they will confiscate it and distribute the monies to whatever entity it chooses and you will go broke or be imprisoned if you fight against it. In this case, they plan on giving the police department 80%. It won't end here.
Bottom line, kids. Until we remove these corrupt, commie, liberial bums out of D.C., and flush the courts and send the liberial hippie judges and lawyers out of the country; the nonsense continues. You know the old joke, "what do you call a thousand lawyers hand cuffed at the bottom of the ocean"? A good start! It begins in November.
So now they are stealing an old man's retirement via the equity in the hotel. When you have no respect for the elderly we are done. The only lower step is exhume the dead and pull out there gold teeth or any other valuables they were buried with just like Adolf Hitler/Nazis did with the Jews they murdered and buried before they had to exhume the bodies to burn them.
Seems the police are now even lower than gangs. At least the gangs stand on their own two feet. The Police Gangs have to HIDE behind the badge/law.
Disgusting.
TOTALLY DISGUSTING. What the hell next.
Ok, then where are the ones for FLORIDA???????????????????
More proof we need all new elected and appointed people in Washington. Why is not Obama,Reid,Pelosie,Frank, Rangle and Holder not in jail??????????
OPP"S late Post was Where are the Sno Cone machines for Florida!
Good Lord, what next. Everyone who stands for what is right need to file lawsuits against the government to cease and desist and make it so nothing can be carried out.
It appears someone has managed to put together a plan to ruin the United States of America.
We all need to pray that God take some kind of action to set things right. I don't think "we the people" are going to be able to save the country without a lot of decisive divine assistance.
Adolfo Carrion Jr. – Urban Affairs Czar Puerto Rico-born Anti-American activist and leftist group member in Latin America. Millionaire “slum lord” of Bronx, NY. Owns many lavish homes and condos which he got from “sweetheart” deals with labor unions. Wants higher taxes on middle class to pay for minority housing and healthcare.
There are no words to describe this action . Who ever started this should be hunted down and —————
too bad so many think Ron Paul is unelectable. One of his many great ideas is to END the DEA and overturn all such stupid laws. A return to due process of law according to the Consdtitution would end this sort of theft by paper.