Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist offered this definition in his book, "The Supreme Court." "A bill of attainder was a legislative act that singled out one or more persons and imposed punishment on them, without benefit of trial" (page 166). Any thinking person should recognize that asset-forfeiture laws constitute bills of attainder under another name.
Article 1, section 9, paragraph 3 of the Constitution clearly states; "No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed." But the courts and the legislature that we have today must be presided over by persons who either can't or don't read the U.S. Constitution. Congress was wrong in passing asset-forfeiture laws, and judges have been derelict in allowing those laws to stand. Both have ignored the section of the U.S. Constitution cited above and they have overlooked Amendment IV and VI of our Bill of Rights.
We of the Libertarian Party want all such regulations swept from our country and believe that those harmed by these unconstitutional laws should be made whole again through restitution.
We would also like to know, "where are those Checks and Balances we are supposed to have that protect us from such violations of our Constitution?"
Submitted by C. W. Steinbrecher
Candidate for U.S. Congress
21st District of Texas