Has Trump drawn a target on Konni Burton?

State Sen. Konni Burton, R-Colleyville, probably needn’t worry about powerful political opposition from President Donald Trump, but the commander in chief offered to “destroy” the career of an unnamed Texas state senator who is backing a bill like one of Burton’s.

The issue that brought Trump’s threat is called “asset forfeiture.” Burton’s bill and maybe one other in the Senate would make it harder for law enforcement agencies to seize property from people who are accused of but not convicted of a crime.

Many forfeitures involve cash from drug busts, but in others the seizures before conviction amount to legalized robbery.

As reported by The Texas Tribune, Trump’s threat came Tuesday in a meeting with sheriffs at the White House. When he asked how he could improve law enforcement, Rockwall County Sheriff Harold Eavenson spoke up.

“We’ve got a state senator in Texas that’s talking about introducing legislation to require conviction before we can receive that forfeiture money,” Eavenson said.

Burton’s SB 380 would do that, and SB 156 from Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, also might. Burton’s is the better bill, and it would improve current law.

This story was originally published February 7, 2017 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Has Trump drawn a target on Konni Burton?."