[SalukiLawyer]

I just cracked my Federal Criminal Code and Rules, and, sure enough, your cite is correct on misprison of felony, right on page 497. I guess I have missed that because I have never seen such a charge ever brought in my 20 years of criminal practice. We've all see the feds get testy when someone lies to them in the course of investigation, however (e.g. Martha Stewart).

So you're at a party and someone sells a quantity of crack. You leave, shaking your head in disgust. Next day the FBI comes and arrests you because you didn't report it? So you're right and I was wrong. Thanks for teaching me something new. (I still don't know if a real prosecution would be brought on that alone, though. I'm thinking it might be a more defensible case than most.)

[D-fendr]

Thanks for your reply. It’s very helpful to hear from the real world, I just got the statute from another thread.

Again, IANAL, but I would think that criminal investigations on the federal level of political office holders has it’s own set of rules and complications - and in Chicago no less.

It may be that politics matters almost as much as the laws, and affect what is applied where. Also, the possible PR hit of media discussions with “legal experts” on whether “there may have been violations of statutes” carries its own penalties.

thanks again..