‘Last Week Tonight’: John Oliver Takes On Civil Forfeiture [Video]
On the latest episode of HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, the comedian turned anchorman took on yet another controversial episode. While nobody likes to talk about civil forfeiture, Oliver manages to take the subject and make it understandable.
In a previous episode known for his take on net neutrality, Oliver attempted to use internet trolls to fight for our rights, as previously reported by The Inquisitr. It seems there is nothing the cable news host can’t make interesting.
Civil forfeiture is what happens when police invade your space and, without a cause for arrest, they seize your belongings. At one point in the video, an incredibly honest police representative told the press that they don’t even need a warrant and you don’t have to be doing anything illegal. Allegedly, they will seize your belongings simply because they want them and the budget won’t approve the expense any other way.
Allegedly they do it not by arresting the person, but by arresting the property itself.
John Oliver explains the insanity of civil forfeiture http://t.co/sn8TRuqchi
— Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) October 6, 2014
As also reported by The Inquisitr, an example of this is when two poker players from California were pulled over in Iowa and had their winnings — over $100,000 — seized. According to the Last Week Tonight host, police can do that and the likelihood of getting your possessions back is next to nothing.
As he does in every show, John Oliver ended the episode with a show of his own. This time, he spoofed Law and Order by adding the subtitle “Civil Forfeiture.”
It begins with police rushing into a man’s home. After asking what he did, the police reveal he didn’t do anything and they’re arresting his sofa. In an amusing cameo, Jeff Goldblum plays the interrogating officer, talking tough to a pile of money.
While the parody makes the entire procedure look ridiculous, civil forfeiture is unfortunately very real and John Oliver had the guts to take it to Last Week Tonight.
[Image via HitFix]
