The FBI's Lawless Raid on U.S. Private Vaults Shows Why the Founders Created the Fourth Amendment
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals compared the FBI's actions to Revolutionary War practices of the British, who would search and seize the property of colonials without probable cause. A closer look at the story reveals the judges were not engaging in hyperbole.
At least one judge seems to understand the Constitution, specifically the fourth amendment...
Apparently, a warrant was issued by a court for the FBI to search U.S. Private Vaults which apparently offered safety deposit boxes to customers along with whatever other services they provided. This company was accused of money laundering and did in fact plead guilty.
However, the warrant that was issued by the court specifically and intentionally excluded the personal safety deposit boxes of customers. The FBI completely ignored this and not only searched them but also seized their contents. $86 million worth of assets were seized in total.
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals did in fact rule this action to be unconstitutional and that items were seized without a proper warrant or probable cause. The judge used terms like "egregious" and "outrageous" to describe the actions of the FBI and noted that abuse of power like this was what led to the 4th amendment being adopted originally. Worse, it appears that the FBI planned this all along.
It's all well and good for the courts to recognize the illegal activity of the FBI but as this article notes, who will be held accountable? The FBI not only violated the Constitution but committed a theft to the tune of $86 million. The court's statement is meaningless if people don't lose their jobs and go to jail over this.