The Logan Act
"18 U.S. Code ยง 953 - Private correspondence with foreign governments
Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply, himself or his agent, to any foreign government or the agents thereof for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of its agents or subjects."
That's it. Pretty broad. So broad DonDiego supposes charges could be filed multiple times on any given day against lots of US citizens. Governments like these sorts of laws, . . . so broad they can intimidate the little people.
DonDiego did not cite any exception within the Law, because there is none. It's always jes' been a matter of judgment. And so far with one exception no one has ever been indicted; and he was never prosecuted. DonDiego does not expect anyone to be indicted/prosecuted now either.
It's just a talking point.
"The only Logan Act indictment occurred in 1803. It involved a Kentucky newspaper article that argued for the formation in the western United States of a separate nation allied to France. No prosecution followed."
[boldface added - DD]
Ref: law.jrank.org
This reference and DonDiego's earlier reference provide lots of examples of the Law being used to threaten people because of their politics, . . . similar to the comments within this thread today, . . . and the eventual fact that no one has ever been prosecuted.
There have been suggestions over the years that the Law should be repealed, . . . but no one wants to be accused of supporting, . . . well, . . . DonDiego isn't sure what they'd be accused of supporting, but they don't like it.
"18 U.S. Code ยง 953 - Private correspondence with foreign governments
Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply, himself or his agent, to any foreign government or the agents thereof for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of its agents or subjects."
That's it. Pretty broad. So broad DonDiego supposes charges could be filed multiple times on any given day against lots of US citizens. Governments like these sorts of laws, . . . so broad they can intimidate the little people.
DonDiego did not cite any exception within the Law, because there is none. It's always jes' been a matter of judgment. And so far with one exception no one has ever been indicted; and he was never prosecuted. DonDiego does not expect anyone to be indicted/prosecuted now either.
It's just a talking point.
"The only Logan Act indictment occurred in 1803. It involved a Kentucky newspaper article that argued for the formation in the western United States of a separate nation allied to France. No prosecution followed."
[boldface added - DD]
Ref: law.jrank.org
This reference and DonDiego's earlier reference provide lots of examples of the Law being used to threaten people because of their politics, . . . similar to the comments within this thread today, . . . and the eventual fact that no one has ever been prosecuted.
There have been suggestions over the years that the Law should be repealed, . . . but no one wants to be accused of supporting, . . . well, . . . DonDiego isn't sure what they'd be accused of supporting, but they don't like it.
