In the News
Walberg hosted the Veterans Town Hall at the VFW post on South Wagner Road. Local officials were unapologetic about the small turnout that totaled 16 people included Walberg staff and senior leadership from state organizations and the Veterans Affairs office.
Walberg, R-Tipton, toured the Southern Michigan Center for Science and Industry, a student and adult education training facility that opened in August. The program — a joint effort between the facility staff and Hudson Area Schools — was developed after the city identified an increased need for skilled tool-and-die and advanced welding workers in not only Hudson, but the region.
Walberg says too often, police use forfeiture powers as a revenue stream, rather than a crime-fighting tool.
Walberg cites the example of Terry Dehko, a longtime Michigan grocer, who had $35,000 in bank accounts frozen by the IRS because the agency suspected him of being a money launderer.
The only evidence the agency had was frequent deposits of cash into his accounts.
Reps. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) and Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) introduced a bill on Wednesday that would require federal agencies to publicly report the costs of programs.
Walberg and Cooper said the measure, titled the "Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act," would help make agency spending more transparent.
"I hate when taxpayer money is wasted," Cooper said in a statement. "It's embarrassing that we even need this bill. Congress knows what it should cut. It just needs to do the job."
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers sent a letter to every office on Capitol Hill, expressing support for proposals to stop police from seizing cash, cars and other property from people without compelling evidence of a crime.
Asset forfeitures arose as a way of going after bad guys involved in drug dealing, human trafficking or other criminal enterprises. Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies seize cash, luxury cars and other property of wrongdoers and pocket a good share of the proceeds.
JACKSON, MI - To Amy Bonneau, another chance for the city to remember her son was the best gift she could have gotten this Christmas season.
Her son, Jackson Police Officer James Bonneau, was killed in the line of duty in 2010. On Thursday afternoon, President Barack Obama signed a bill into law that will rename the Jackson Post Office after him.
When she got the news Thursday evening, Amy Bonneau said she couldn't have been happier.
"It was just a nice surprise. The timing is perfect," Amy Bonneau said. "It's like a Christmas gift to Jim."
JACKSON, MI – It is tempting to denounce the President of the United States right now, but he's not responsible for every disappointment that comes my way.
The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday unveiled a restructuring plan to regain the public's trust and ensure smoother operations after the agency's recent scheduling scandal, but veterans groups and key members of Congress have expressed little enthusiasm for the proposals.
Following a slew of recent negative press involving IRS's use of civil forfeiture laws, IRS's Chief of Criminal Investigation (CI) has issued a statement stating that the agency would no longer pursue the seizure and forfeiture of funds associated solely with legal source "structuring" cases unless there are exceptional circumstances that warrant such seizures or forfeitures.