Gabu
Atlas Star
Posts: 28,386
Political Matrix E: -4.32, S: -6.52
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« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2007, 04:18:58 PM » |
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Some context should really be given regarding the Logan Act. It was passed in 1799, during heightened tensions between the United States and France, and was passed in response to the meeting of a man named Dr. George Logan with French officials in an attempt to assuage tensions between the countries. The Federalists in Congress, who held a majority at the time, essentially rammed the Logan Act through Congress because they didn't like the praise showered on Logan by the minority Democratic-Republicans. The Logan Act was described as an "act to curb the temerity and impudence of individuals affecting to interfere in public affairs between France and the United States".
Though the Logan Act specifically lays out the punishment to be meted out to individuals in violation of it, there have never been a single prosecution under it, and there has only been one single indictment under it, and that occurred in 1803. An attempt was made by Rep. Sensenbrenner (R-WI) in 2006 to update the Logan Act to only cover those who make knowingly false statements in an effort to influence relations between the United States and another country, but it wasn't passed.
At any rate, it's quite clear that any attempt to prosecute someone under the Logan Act is an ultimately futile effort, and would more likely get the act rendered unconstitutional than anything else.
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