RE: Executive Order Unconstitional?

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: § Lori §
Date: Aug 1, 2007 6:27 PM


From: Wayne
Date: Aug 1, 2007 8:23 PM


============== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ==============

America First Party
1630 A 30th Street #111
Boulder, Colorado 80301
http://www.AmericaFirstParty.org

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Recent Executive Order Violates 5th Amendment "Due Process" Rights

Boulder, CO - The America First Party expresses alarm at the
President's
recent executive order "Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who
Threaten
Stabilization Efforts in Iraq," which decrees sweeping power to deprive
persons of property, without notice, and without the constitutionally
required "due process of law."

Under this order, an American who unknowingly gives a contribution to a
group fronting for combatants in Iraq, but with the sincere intention
of
providing only humanitarian relief, can have his entire worldly assets
seized without recourse to a hearing or appeal. If a lawyer then
provides
him with pro-bono legal services, then he can also have his assets
frozen.
If the original victim then continues to work for a living, according
to the
order, anyone who receives his services is equally exposed to the risk
of
losing control over all their assets.

The order allows the Treasury Secretary broad discretion to freeze
assets of
individuals who have not been charged with crimes, by making subjective
judgments about them. It allows him to judge an individual or entity
"to
pose a significant risk of committing" an "act or acts of violence"
that
"threaten the peace or stability of Iraq." In other cases, the
Secretary
may also judge persons to have "materially assisted, sponsored, or
provided
financial, material, logistical, or technical support for ... acts of
violence." Property of all such persons is then "blocked, and may not
be
transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in." Not
mentioned in the order is any provision for return of properties, or
for due
process by which affected parties can appeal the administration's
action.

AFP National Chairman Jonathan Hill stated: "The Executive Order, and
the
Carter era law which President Bush uses to justify his actions, also
impacts people who would go to the assistance of affected parties by
providing funds, goods, or services to them, or even persons who might
unwittingly receive payments, goods, or services from the targeted
person.
Here again, the order makes no due process provision."

A people are not free when they live in fear of an abusive government.
Therefore, the America First Party takes a strong stand against the
rise of
government powers and laws that allow for the people to be penalized in
fines and property seizures without due process of law -- a 5th
Amendment
right of all people under U.S. jurisdiction.

Contact:
Jonathan Hill, National Chairman 1-866-SOS-USA1, ext 4
John Schweingrouber, Press Secretary, 1-866-SOS-USA1, ext. 2

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