WASHINGTON — Senators are making headway on a potentially significant piece of bipartisan legislation that would give the Justice Department new authorities to seize and liquidate ill-gotten assets of Russian oligarchs and use the proceeds to benefit the people of Ukraine.
At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, Democrats and Republicans debated the pros and cons of the legislation from Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., which would create a narrow and expiring authority for the Justice Department to open civil forfeiture proceedings against the frozen assets of Russian individuals found to be tied to criminal activities and to redirect the proceeds of forfeitures to humanitarian and economic aid for Ukraine.
Graham said he believes Senate support for targeting corrupt Russian oligarchs is reaching “critical mass” four months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a war of aggression against Ukraine.
