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DID JOE BIDEN VIOLATE THE LOGAN ACT -- A FELONY?
Democracy Project blog ^ | 09/24/08 | Laurie Morrow

Posted on 09/24/2008 10:43:47 AM PDT by lpmorrow

Did Joe Biden violate the Logan Act — a felony?

Laurie Morrow • September 24, 2008 • Uncategorized

In his speech today, Joe Biden admitted to meeting with President Mikhail Saakashvili of the Republic of George, and of negotiating specific details concerning U.S. foreign policy with the head of a foreign nation.

In so doing, has Biden admitted violating U.S. law, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 953 (2004), commonly known as the Logan Act?

The Logan Act prohibits “[a]ny citizen of the United States, whoever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commerces or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government . . . with intent to influence the measures of conduct of any foreign government or any officer or any agent thereof . . . ”

In 1975, the question was raised as to whether Senator George McGovern had violated the Logan Act, when he visited Cuba and spoke with government officials there. The U.S. State Department concluded that Senator McGovern’s visit was not in violation of the law because of the purpose of Senator McGovern’s visit. The Senator explained that, his discussions with Cuban officials, he “made it clear I had no authority to negotiate on behalf of the United States.” He was not there to engage in negotiations, he explained, but simply “to listen and learn.”

In his account of his visit to Georgia, Senator Biden Biden took pains in his speech to emphasize that he didn’t just “listen and learn,’ but, rather spoke and led, his purpose apparently to convince his listeners that he took a leadership role in negotiating U.S. foreign policy.

I’m convinced. The Logan Act is a felony. This is, of course, yet another example of arrogance on the part of the Obama/Biden team, who think themselves too wise and too important to have to play by the same rules we lesser mortals must.

Will the Democrats’ October surprise be a surprise to –Democrats? Will Obama remove this ‘foreign policy expert’ from the ticket, and replace him with an older, wiser Midwestern woman, with considerable experience and broad appeal?

(Kathleen Sebelius, of course. Who did you think I meant?)


TOPICS: Campaign News; Issues
KEYWORDS: biden; foreignpolicy; georgia; loganact; obamabiden

1 posted on 09/24/2008 10:43:47 AM PDT by lpmorrow
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To: lpmorrow

Is there an over/under on the day slow Joe leaves the campaign?

I am going to bet on any day after Obamarama get his ass handed to him during one of the debates


2 posted on 09/24/2008 10:48:06 AM PDT by Mr. K (Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help)
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To: lpmorrow

"Meet with the enemy? Pshaw! Been there, done that!"

3 posted on 09/24/2008 10:50:24 AM PDT by MarineBrat (My wife and I took an AIDS vaccination that the Church offers.)
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To: lpmorrow
Will Obama remove this ‘foreign policy expert’ from the ticket, and replace him with an older, wiser Midwestern woman, with considerable experience and broad appeal?

LOL
You are on thin ice....
4 posted on 09/24/2008 10:52:39 AM PDT by BigEdLB (Let's get serious - there is only one choice - McCain/Palin 2008)
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To: lpmorrow
intercourse with any foreign government

Why travel overseas? They have been "intercoursing" the American taxpayer right from Washington for years.

5 posted on 09/24/2008 10:54:00 AM PDT by IamConservative (On 11/4, remember 9/11...)
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To: lpmorrow
It's only a felony if you are a Republican lawmaker...
6 posted on 09/24/2008 10:54:50 AM PDT by ejonesie22 (Finally a Conservative on the RNC ticket....)
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To: lpmorrow
President Mikhail Saakashvili of the Republic of George

Curious.

Don't these people bother to proofread their own crap?

7 posted on 09/24/2008 11:00:04 AM PDT by CougarGA7 (Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.)
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To: lpmorrow
This has been my contention for years now, all these MOC's who travel overseas and have meetings with government officials of other countries, NONE of them sent at the behest of or with the authorization from the White House. When it comes to foreign policy, the United States of America must speak with ONE VOICE, this cannot occur if any rep or senator decides he wants to shore up his *foreign policy cred* and have a chit-chat.

The Constitution delegates powers, those in the Legislative Branch are not allowed any role in foreign policy, other than voting on treaties, raising and supporting armies not quite in that vein. They have no business discussing the business of this country with other heads-of-state.

8 posted on 09/24/2008 11:05:46 AM PDT by MozarkDawg
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To: MozarkDawg
The U.S. State Department concluded that Senator McGovern’s visit was not in violation of the law because of the purpose of Senator McGovern’s visit. The Senator explained that, his discussions with Cuban officials, he “made it clear I had no authority to negotiate on behalf of the United States.” He was not there to engage in negotiations, he explained, but simply “to listen and learn.”

Ah, should have read the detail here more clearly ... well, this then explains for me the reason we haven't had mass-prosecutions over the years, but I still say that MOC's ought not be sticking their pol-noses into every pot around the world.

I wonder ... is this State Department conclusion the reason private citizen, no longer president Jimmy Carter has never been hassled about his unauthorized meddling? Same for private citizen Jesse Jackson??

9 posted on 09/24/2008 11:10:39 AM PDT by MozarkDawg
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To: lpmorrow

Oh please! Take Kathleen! Then when they lose we won’t get her back........hopefully!


10 posted on 09/24/2008 11:35:14 AM PDT by Sunshine Sister
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