This is the Kator Daily Podcast for Saturday, February 11th, 2017.

I'm Caleb Brown.

President Donald Trump this week threatened the career of an unnamed state

lawmaker in Texas. The offense was attempting to end the legalized theft

that is civil asset forfeiture.

That lawmaker is Texas State Senator Connie Burton, who is trying to eliminate civil forfeiture in the

lone star state and she's very happy the issue is getting more attention.

We spoke yesterday.

You know I've been telling anyone who will listen that President Trump threatening a state

lawmaker's career over opposition to the currently undertaken civil asset forfeiture in their own state

would puts that issue on the front burner in a way that it has never been on the front burner

before so in some ways he may have paid you a compliment.

Right. I don't know if it was a paid me a compliment is exactly the correct term, However, I am very pleased that it has pushed this

issue in front of people that have never heard about it before because those that

are hearing about it now feel the same as I'm guessing you and of

course myself and that it needs to be reformed. So what is it about civil asset

forfeiture? I agree that people once they hear about it, first they don't believe

you're telling the truth and then once you explain it to them they say, well that's awful,

how do we get rid of it?

What is it that you want people to know about civil asset forfeiture?

Well, I want people to know that civil asset forfeiture is a way for an individual's property to not only be seized but forfeited, which means

the government can keep it without a criminal conviction.

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