author unknown, forwarded to FEAR-List from DRCtalk list, 1-12-96

So you think there's a "War on Crime" or a "War on Drugs," and it's a good thing that the States and federal government are "seizing the assets of criminals" to "fight the war," eh?

THINK AGAIN. In the finest traditions of Marie Antoinette:

The Bergen Record (Hackensack, NJ) printed a front page story by Michael Moore and Jim Consoli entitled "Seized funds pay for frills - $500,000 for conventions" on Sunday, December 31, 1995. The paper has a Sunday circulation of about 250,000.

The story details how New Jersey county prosecutors and the state attorney general spent over $500,000 in forfeited funds on the 1993, 1994 and 1995 prosecutor conventions. The 1993 convention was held at a ski resort in Great Gorge, New Jersey, and the 1994 and 1995 conventions were held in Atlantic City.

Much more money was spent on entertainment and booze than on law enforcement education. At the 1995 convention, the Record found, less than 1% of the $165,000 convention tab went for educational programs.

Some of the questionable expenditures follow:

1. $2,800 was spent to hire Mr. Peanut to greet prosecutors and their families at the Trump Regency ballroom in 1994. Captain Steve Terry of the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office is quoted as saying "You can't expect these people to come to Atlantic City and not be greeted by Mr. Peanut."

2. While most conventioneers stayed in standard $100 per night rooms, the 21 county prosecutors stayed in $210 per night suites.

3. Up to $15,000 was spent annually for complimentary gifts, including golf bags, knit caps, coffee mugs and disposable cameras.

4. A Marilyn Monroe look-alike was paid $3,800 this year to pose for photos with prosecutors. This was part of the 1995 convention's "Hello to Hollywood" theme.

5. Golf outings for the prosecutors were charged to the tab of Camden County Democratic Chairman George Norcross. Norcross, who was under investigation by the state attorney general for corruption, was reimbursed out of the Morris County, New Jersey forfeiture fund. That account was administered by then prosecutor W. Michael Murphy, who is also a Democrat.

The following quote was attributed to John Paff of F.E.A.R.

"Those people are paying for Hollywood look-alikes and snacking high on the food chain, then coming back with somber faces and voices telling a Senate committee how they have everything under control," said John Paff of New Jersey-based Forfeiture Endangers American Rights (FEAR), a national group pushing for reforming forfeiture laws. Paff testified at this month's Senate hearing. "The inmates are running the asylum," Paff said.

Anyone interested in writing a letter to the editor should address it to The Record, 150 River Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601. The fax number there is 201/646-4135.