Tonight Texas Biker Radio hosts Mel Moss & Mel Robins went to an Civil Asset Forfeiture Summit. We weren't sure 4 hrs of our time would be of value but we had two objectives going in.

 

#1. Wear our cuts which always brings attention and curiosity seekers (works every time).

 

#2.  A chance to speak to 3 TX State Representatives

 

Rep. Matt Schaffer Dist. 6  

 

State Senator Konni Burton Dist. 10 

State Senator Don Huffines Dist. 16

 

​It is in our view these politicians are very brave to speak up on this issue because law enforcement will vilify them as anti law enforcement if they make any headway on reeling in the laws ability to confiscate at will. 

 

Probably Being seen as anti law is one of the biggest fears outside of a strong opponent to any politician. They would be walking a fine line no matter how many times they say they are not anti law enforcement.

 

We were pleasantly surprised that the tone of the meeting which was anti confiscation, time to reel it in from all of the corruption and abuses. The problem is how to get it done in a legislature that's lobbied heavily by law enforcement, they've got all politicians running scared.

 

The 2 four person panels talked about ways to ween law enforcement from confiscation money. ​In some cases the money brought in through confiscation is larger than the police departments entire budgets.

 

One idea was maybe we should find a way to make them whole after the extra confiscation money is taken away. Damn! I Almost blew my stack on that one.

 

Never should a police departments budget be before the citizens Constitutional Rights....Never!

 

The 2 panels were very good with a complex issue created by the legislature. One idea was that we quit talking about asset confiscation and start talking about property rights of the people. That's a term the average schmuck understands. Besides asset confiscation sounds like your guilty of some thing.. We Agree...

 

The panels gave many instances were the confiscation laws had been abused. They went everywhere but Waco. 

Butch Moss
Butch Moss

When they got around to comments from the audience Mel Moss said, there are  area's in this state were this problem is epidemic (heads shaking yes), the I-10 corridor going east, I -35 corridor going north where minorities fall victim to the abuses of confiscation law & the City of Waco (Mclennan county) were motorcyclist had their property confiscated and not 1 person found guilty of anything to this date 10 months later.. 

 

The meeting we were skeptical about turned out to be very informative, very helpful and gave us a chance to get our views heard. We had people thank us for being there and speaking out. That was worth every minute of our time. Be brave, be bold. We can't hide.

 

The representatives there were freshman members which means they have some fight, the Constitution means something to them.

 

Matter of fact Don Huffines is requesting a breakfast meeting with US Defenders Region 2 in the near future...

 

We've got to make sure we have these representatives backs, lets keep a watchful eye..

 

Respect,

 

MM

 

Note: Mel Moss & Mel Robins are Co- Founders of Sons of Liberty Riders RC. Both are members of US Defenders Legislative Strike Force - Mel Moss is Assistant State Commander & Mel Robins is Lt State Commander - Mel Moss is founder of Texas Biker Radio which averages 5600 monthly listeners - Mel Moss has been a full time political activist since 2002 - Mel Robins former Corporate CEO - Both have been bikers for many many years...


Summit Panels

 

Rep. Matt Schaefer

Texas House of Representatives
District 6


Matt is the current Texas State Representative for District 6. Schaefer is assigned to the Defense & Veterans' Affairs and Urban Affairs committees. He attended Cisco Junior College, where he played football. Then he attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas where he obtained a bachelor's degree in finance and a law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law.

Matt Simpson
Senior Policy Strategist
American Civil Liberties Union


Matt has served as a policy strategist at the ACLU of Texas since 2008. He advocates for civil rights and civil liberties at the state legislature and assists with local campaigns related to criminal justice reform, such as prison and jail policy, law enforcement information sharing, and ending the school-to-prison pipeline.


Jason Pye
Director of Communications & Director of Justice Reform
FreedomWorks


Jason Pye is the Director of Communications and the Director of Justice Reform at FreedomWorks. When he’s not fighting for the cause of liberty, he enjoys listening to punk rock, playing his guitars, watching baseball, and dreaming of the day the University of Georgia football team brings home a national championship.


Dan Isett - Moderator
Communications Director


Right on Crime, Texas Public Policy Foundation
Dan is Communications Director of Right on Crime and the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Isett served as Director of Communications and Policy for the Parents Television Council, Director of External Affairs at The Center for Education Reform and Executive Director of the Texas Home School Coalition.

 

Sen. Konni Burton

Texas State Senate
DIstrict 10


Konni is the current Texas State Senator for District 10. She is assigned to the Veteran Affairs & Military Installations and Criminal Justice committees. Konni attended the University of North Texas, earning a BBA in Marketing. It was at UNT that Senator Burton also met her husband of 30 years, Phillip.


Sen. Don Huffines
Texas State Senate
District 16


Don is a fifth generation Texan, whose family has a strong legacy of hard work and faith in God. He has been married for 28 years to Mary Catherine and has four sons and one daughter. His business, Huffines Communities, is one of the largest real-estate land developers in the Dallas/Fort Worth region.


Dr. Merrill Matthews
Senior Policy Strategist
Institute for Policy Innovation


Merrill is a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation.  Prior to joining IPI in 2000, he was VP of Domestic Policy for the National Center for Policy Analysis. He also serves as the vice chairman of the Texas Advisory Committee of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.


Brad Cates
Attorney, Former State Legislator - New Mexico


Former Director of the Justice Department’s Asset Forfeiture Office
Brad is a privacy advocate, espousing adherence to fundamental constitutional freedoms, including free speech, and opposition to warrantless searches or seizures. He occasionally publishes articles on these subjects. Additionally, he serves as Counsel, House Judiciary Committee, NM Legislature.

Derek Cohen - Moderator
Deputy Director
Right on Crime, Texas Public Policy Foundation


Derek is Deputy Director of Right on Crime and the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Cohen graduated with a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Bowling Green State University and an M.S. in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati, where he is currently completing his Ph.D. dissertation on the long-term costs and outcomes associated with correctional programming.