Regarding the shopping, the conflict of interest is astounding. Go after the guy with the money, because if you can make something stick, you get to steal the money, and keep it for yourself.

Judges are incentivized to sign these asset forfeiture warrants because doing so helps keep them in the good graces of the police who have a union that is very politically powerful when it comes to election time. I know of one case where a judge did so even after having proven to him that no crime was being committed.

It's extremely corrosive, and seems intrinsically corrupt.