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Brickbats

Brickbat: Stolen Vehicles

Charles Oliver | 10.9.2017 4:00 AM

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car lot
Steven Liveoak / Dreamstime

The state of North Carolina can't account for 234 vehicles seized from drivers charged with felony speeding or DUI. A state auditor's report says the main contractor for the program resisted subpoenas and otherwise impeded its attempts to investigate the program.

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Charles Oliver is a contributing editor at Reason.

BrickbatsCivil Asset ForfeitureDrunk drivingNorth Carolina
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  1. Fist of Etiquette   8 years ago

    The General Assembly created the program in the 1990s to seize vehicles from motorists convicted of those felonies and prevent them from driving. By law, proceeds from the sale of items seized in criminal cases go to the school district where the case was prosecuted. Local school districts initially and reluctantly monitored the program.

    “Look, we’re used to free money. What’s all this responsibility bullshit?”

  2. Fist of Etiquette   8 years ago

    Secretary of Administration Machelle Sanders said the requirements contractors must face to impound vehicles for the program are so stringent that not many towing/impoundment businesses qualify to participate in it ? implying it would be difficult to replace a crooked or incompetent contractor. She said regulations possibly expanding the pool of available contractors would need the General Assembly’s approval.

    “Listen, the lax rules that allowed our current contractor to sell cars and kick some of that money back to us were too restrictive.”

  3. Telcontar the Wanderer   8 years ago

    Aww, man, the Decepticon Witness Protection Program is going to be so pissed that they have to find a new headquarters again.

  4. Tom Bombadil   8 years ago

    “resisted subpoenas and otherwise impeded its attempts to investigate the program.”

    I swear I used to know this one.
    Can somebody remind me what happens to one of us proles when we resist and impede?

    1. Longtobefree   8 years ago

      No one still alive.

  5. Griffin3   8 years ago

    implying it would be difficult to replace a crooked or incompetent contractor.

    .Simple fix: charge contractor with theft, they either need to produce the vehicle or recompense the owner of the car with an appropriate amount of money, and to do otherwise would provide cause for a civil complaint against the contractor, with legal costs accruing to the contractor.
    You’d almost think we had laws for situations like this.

    1. Griffin3   8 years ago

      Oh. I didn’t RTFA. The state is whining that THEY have been cheated of the vehicle proceeds. To the chipper with ’em all.

      1. Longtobefree   8 years ago

        Just because an auditor can’t find the vehicles doesn’t mean the politicians don’t know where the money is. I suspect in these case the law was followed up to the point where the car is “auctioned”. It is just the part where the public benefits where someone got extremely careless.

        Thought for the day: did the auditors check the garages of the contractor’s management and employees? How about the oversight agency employees?

  6. Cy   8 years ago

    Citizen: What? Why are you doing this? I’m a taxpayer! I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me!

    *Government pumps shotgun*

    Government: It’s for the children!

  7. imo   8 years ago

    Brickbat: Stolen Vehicles – Hit & Run : Reason.comis the best post by imo for pc Please visit imo app imo app snaptube for pc snaptube app

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