IRS Civil Asset Forfeiture—When the Government Goes Too Far

Recent hearings before the House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Oversight prompted Congressmen to write Attorney General Eric Holder, requesting an investigation into potential IRS abuse of its civil asset forfeiture authority.

The letter, citing concerns about the conduct of certain federal prosecutors, details possible abuses of civil asset forfeiture authority by government prosecutors and asks the Department of Justice to open an investigation and take appropriate action to ensure the integrity of the federal judicial process.

This, along with other ongoing developments in the area, will be interesting to keep an eye on. Maintaining integrity and proper limits in the civil asset forfeiture arena is essential to protecting America's small businesses.