WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) pressed Attorney General Loretta Lynch for answers about the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive actions related to gun control during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) hearing today.

 Boozman expressed his concerns with President Obama’s overreaching authority and the plans by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to decide what Americans are permissible to own and possess firearms based on the individual having a fiduciary. 

“This would prohibit them from their Constitutional Second Amendment right, not based on due process, but only on the fact that they requested a family member or friend to assist them with their finances,” Boozman said during the hearing. 

As the administration overreaches to fight violent crime, the Department of Justice is withdrawing funds that many Arkansas law enforcement agencies use effectively to fight that battle. 

Boozman questioned the attorney general on why Arkansas police departments recently had funds they used to fight violent crime removed from their equitable sharing accounts. These accounts provide participating state and local law enforcement agencies funds resulting from federal forfeitures. These funds are essential for drug task forces and other enforcement operations that focus on removing the worst criminal offenders from our streets. 

Last month several Arkansas law enforcement agencies received a letter from the Department of Justice stating that it would be ceasing all payments and it would be implementing cost reduction measures. 

Lynch admitted some budget issues within the department’s asset forfeiture fund that limited its ability to provide these payments to state and local law enforcement.

“We are looking forward to restoring those payments,” Lynch said.