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| Bill OK'd To Freeze Dealer Assets |
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Posted by FoM on November 02, 1999 at 17:40:27 PT By The Associated Press Source: New York Times 
A House bill passed Tuesday would require the president to prepare a ``most wanted list'' of foreign drug traffickers, subjecting them to seizure of their assets and denial of visas for them and their families.
The chief sponsor of the bill, Rep. Bill McCollum, R-Fla., said it ``deals with foreign drug kingpins who are killing and poisoning our kids. The bottom line is it deals with the worst of the worst.'' The Clinton administration supports it. Under the legislation, which passed 385-26, the Treasury Secretary, in consultation with the Attorney General, CIA, FBI, Drug Enforcement Agency, State Department and the Pentagon, would submit to the White House by June 1 a list of the world's most significant narcotics traffickers. The president on July 1 would formally designate those on the annual list as an unusual threat to the national security and economy, subjecting them to the freezing of their assets and denial of entry into the country. ``It's no longer going to be business as usual for these global drug kingpins, for their relatives and business associations and front companies,'' said Rep. Ben Gilman, R-N.Y., chairman of the International Relations Committee. Those opposing the measure expressed concern that it ignored constitutional rights in denying judicial review to those facing economic sanctions. ``In the name of the war against drugs, we should not overturn our liberties,'' said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. ``We are giving the president and the administration far far too much authority and subjecting them to far far too little review,'' said Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C. The Senate attached similar provisions to an intelligence agency bill that has stalled in a House-Senate conference and Senate supporters plan to bring it up as an individual bill, McCollum said. The bill is H.R. 3164. November 2, 1999 Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #1 posted by observer on November 03, 1999 at 09:59:22 PT |
More collective punishment, just like the Nazis. Family members, innocent of any wrongdoing, are punished in an effort to hurt those who Congress wishes to hurt.
''Mandantory sentencing guidelines are ruthless. A first offense of simple marijuana posession now carries a five-year federal penalty.234 Escalator clauses take advantage of the repetitive nature of drug use. First-time possession of crack can be punished by five to twenty years if the amount exceeds five grams. A second offense brings the same punishment if the weight exceeds five grams. And a third offense brings the same punishment of the weight exceeds one gram. "Three felony convictions for drug offenses carries mandantory life with no parole, and it is a felony to commit a drug offense within 100 feet of a pinball or video arcade containing more than 10 games."235 Possession of a marijuana cigarette is such a felony. Federal law permits a $10,000 fine for possessing one marijuana cigarette.236 An Oklahoma man received a life sentence for felony possession of marijuana, 0.005644 of an ounce.237 ''
(Richard L Miller, Drug Warriors and their Prey, 1996, pg.64)
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