In 1798, the French Revolution was in full swing and the United States was undecided whether to support England or France. A gentleman farmer, George Logan, took it upon himself to sail to France and discuss (as in ‘interfere’ with) the situation. President John Adams was furious that a citizen would interfere with government business without authorization and signed the Logan Act into law in 1799. The law prohibits unauthorized U.S. citizens from speaking to foreign governments about that country’s “disputes or controversies with the United States.
Most recently, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn admitted to speaking with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. about sanctions, while Obama was still in office. John Kerry, as a former Secretary of State, took it upon himself to have meetings and phone calls with Iranian and European leaders and Palestinian officials in an attempt to influence the outcome of Trumps dealings with the ill-fated Obama nuclear deal.
Many citizens through the years have violated the Logan Act, yet not a single person has been prosecuted. Without prosecution, this Act is worthless. It begs the question: Why are the certain laws of the United States only enforced when convenient?
CS
