Two Words: Logan Act
The Logan Act, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 953, states:
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, 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.
Hmmm… you mean like discussing troop withdrawal time tables with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki? Or negotiating with France and Germany for additional troops to be sent to Afghanistan?
…directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States…
Seems pretty clear… but doubt it will be enforced in this case since it was not enforced on previous occasions as pointed out here and here and here and here .
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