Illegal Diplomacy

Wall Street Journal Page A10 (subscription required for online edition) ^ | April 6 2007 | ROBERT F. TURNER

[Winged Hussar]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may well have committed a felony in traveling to Damascus this week, against the wishes of the president, to communicate on foreign-policy issues with Syrian President Bashar Assad. The administration isn't going to want to touch this political hot potato, nor should it become a partisan issue. Maybe special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald, whose aggressive prosecution of Lewis Libby establishes his independence from White House influence, should be called back.

The "Logan Act" makes it a felony and provides for a prison sentence of up to three years for any American, "without authority of the United States," to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government's behavior on any "disputes or controversies with the United States." Some background on this statute helps to understand why Ms. Pelosi may be in serious trouble.

...The U.S. is in the midst of two wars authorized by Congress. For Ms. Pelosi to flaunt the Constitution in these circumstances is not only shortsighted; it may well be a felony, as the Logan Act has been part of our criminal law for more than two centuries. Perhaps it is time to enforce the law.

[Winged Hussar]

Noting that it is libelous to falsely accuse someone of a crime (although it is harder to libel a public figure than a private citizen), the author and the Wall Street Journal must be fairly sure of their ground to make statements of this nature. Any attorneys want to weigh in on this issue?

There is an excellent picture of House Dhimmi, excuse me, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wearing an Islamic headscarf in deference to her male Islamic betters, which is something we should make clear to all feminists. We should (assuming it is not copyrighted) circulate that picture as widely as possible, to let all free Americans, and especially women, know that Pelosi degraded herself both as an American and as a woman--pretty much like an African-American saying "Yassah boss! Yes, Massah!" to white supremacists. Pelosi's willingness to wear a headscarf shows that she has all the pride and self-respect of a common street prostitute, and she should be treated accordingly.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000953----000-.html

TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 45 > § 953

§ 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.

[Txsleuth]

LOL...I just saw a debate about this on Fox..and the Dem guy, Bob Beckel said that “if what Pelosi did was illegal, then why didn’t they arrest her before she left??”

I just laughed out loud...what a dunce.

[rob21]

I also saw that debate. Bob Beckel got owned.

[Txsleuth]

I guess Bob is all for arresting someone BEFORE they commit a crime...

I just can’t WAIT until his party gets back in power.../s

[Screamname]

Nobody in Washington has the balls, this is why Treasoncrats run amok in this country.

[nckerr]

I just watched it also and now I am watching Hardball to see what the fallout is with this obviously bias Carter talking head (Chris Matthews).

I don’t see how the DEMS can defend her. I hope she is indicted.

[SaxxonWoods]

FITZMAS FROGMARCH!

[The Blitherer]

now I am watching Hardball to see what the fallout is with this obviously bias Carter talking head (Chris Matthews).

Can you give us a rundown? I don't have the stomach to watch it myself.

[CIDKauf]

Special Prosecutor Ann Coulter

[TomGuy]

The list of opposition to TouristGal Nancy is growing -- and not all are of the VRWC:

Wash Post nails Pelosi: Pratfall in Damascus

Lauer Pelts Pelosi's Foreign Fling: 'A Lot of People Think She Messed Up

Nancy Pelosi Should Resign [Jerry Zeifman, frmr Democratic Counsel, House Judiciary]

Illegal Diplomacy [Wall St Journal]

[EagleUSA]

Nobody in Washington has the balls, this is why Treasoncrats run amok in this country.

---

It really distills down to a complete collapse of the Presidential Oath....we now have a one-party system that does exactly what it wants to do, without ANY accountability to the people through our elected representation.

[Centurion2000]

It is starting to become obvious isn’t it?

[Screamname]

What this country needs is a leader with some major cojones, major balls. That`s what it all boils down to. Being a good speaker in the vein of Reagan couldn`t hurt as well. It`s one thing to make a charge of treason, it`s quite another to convince most of the country as well.

What Pelosi did is obviously treason, but there are so many people in this country who are brain washed to think otherwise it would take a special type of person to set them straight. Damn, where is Ronny when ya need him? God, I miss him so freggin` much!

[Fred911]

[Screamname]

This is what we need........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxDArHQbc2g

[webboy45]

Pelosi should resign for violating the Logan act.

[EagleUSA]

Damn, where is Ronny when ya need him?

---

He was a Godsend to this country and I have always wondered why God took him the way he did. He was a 100 year man, a man with insight. wisdom, patriotism and love for country that has not been seen for so long and will not be seen for a long time to come I am afraid. Maybe destiny has it that this country must hit bottom real bad, before people will wake up and again start thinking about our grand country instead of their own selfishness. Our future is very uncertain because Washington has really turned its back on America and the destructive realities this country is facing.

[kalee]

Wonder what the DU dummies are saying about this?

[Dragonspirit]

Let’s see if the “not liberal” media will actually pursue this story and put Libbyesque pressure on it? I won’t hold my breath.

We, and all dissenting voices, should keep shouting for an independent investigation and charges until they HAVE to pay attention. We’ll see if our alleged Republicans in the Congress will make this a topic or if it will follow the disgrace of the Sandy Berger treason.

TIME TO FIGHT REPUBLICANS!!!!

[Cicero]

I couldn’t agree more.

On a side note, I’ll probably get bashed for this, but I can’t refrain from commenting on how this writer, who is an academic PhD with considerable intelligence, nevertheless debauches the English language.

“Ms. Pelosi to flaunt the Constitution”

No, Ms. Pelosi is flaunting her scarf and flouting the Constitution.