Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Please Tell Me How This Is Not Treason
Former Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Iranian Foreign Minister, using “shadow diplomacy” to prevent the failure of the “Iran Nuclear Deal”
Now, at last count, Iran was America’s sworn enemy. Its people regularly took to the streets to shout “Death to America!” This looks like providing aid and comfort to the enemy, which I believe is the definition of treason.
Oh, yes, and Mr. Kerry has also been found to be “coaching the Palestinians not to yield to Trump in peace talks.” That may not be treason against the US, but it could be seen to be acting against our greatest ally in the Middle East, the State of Israel. Like the Clintons and the Lois Lerners in recent history in the US, Kerry will probably not suffer any consequences for this at the least subversive, and at the worst treasonable, behavior.
Published in Foreign Policy
This is the man who brought James Taylor to Paris to sing “You’ve Got a Friend.” I mean, it is possible to underestimate John Kerry, just not easy to.
Phwaahahahaaa! You are fun-ny!
Logan Act? He’s a Democrat. There are different rules for Democrats. He ain’t gettin’ charged with anything.
Kerry is. a progressive democrat. Of course it is not treason.
Treason in the US is different from most countries.
‘Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.’
Has he given aid and comfort to the Enemies of the US?
I guess you would have to argue in court that Iran is a legal enemy of the USA. Good luck with that.
Agreed. The current situation probably doesn’t meet the definition of treason. However, Kerry’s spreading pro-Vietnamese propaganda by giving false testimony that American soldiers had committed war crimes was treason, and a variety of other crimes to boot. Kerry is certainly a subversive.
Someone has probably said this already, but the Logan Act is flagrantly unconstitutional, and should be repealed. There is a reason that nobody has ever been convicted of violating the Logan Act in more than 200 years.
Would you give a layman’s explanation of why it violates the Constitution? My understanding is it prohibits non-government agents negotiating on behalf of the US government with foreign entities. Am I wrong about that? And, wouldn’t it seem prudent to have such a law in place?
I would love to see its constitutionality tested in court and if Kerry is the victim…err…defendent of such a prosecution then my tears will be large and of the crocodilia variety.
Because they want to believe!
Last year I heard Kerry was assuring foreign givermnents don’t worry, Trump probably won’t be president a year from now…..
Serious question: who does Kerry think he is?
Cuz, uh, to us Americans, he’s just an ex-candidate for president who lost in in an embarrassing debacle when he tried to capitalize on his non-existent bravery in Vietnam.
Why are we still even hearing his name?
It is unconstitutional because it prohibits a private citizen from talking about issues of public policy, which violates the First Amendment. Of course, a private citizen can’t “negotiate on behalf of the US government” – not because it is illegal but because they have no authority or capacity which would allow them to speak for the US government. But a private citizen can certainly speak for himself, even if the person to whom he is speaking is a foreign official and even if the subject matter of the speech is foreign policy. As long as the subject matter of the speech does not rise to the level of treason or espionage, the speech itself cannot be prohibited by law.
On its face, the Logan Act would prohibit you from talking policy to a foreign ambassador at a cocktail party. It would prohibit you from writing an op-ed piece urging a particular foreign policy in a newspaper. It would prohibit you from protesting human rights abuses in front of a foreign embassy. Congress has no authority to criminalize such activities.
Now, if Kerry was compensated by the Iranian government then he might have been legally required to register as a foreign agent. Failure to do so would be a crime, as I understand it. I don’t know whether there are circumstances where an American would be deemed to be the agent of a foreign government without compensation. That’s not my area of legal expertise.
The United States of America is not formally at war with the state of Iran, and Iran is not formally classified as an “enemy” of the United States of America.
Similarly, during the entirety of the Cold War, the USSR was never formally classified as an “enemy” of the United States, which is why no American was ever charged with treason for providing classified information to the Soviet Union.
Ah, the Logan Act. Enacted in 1799, there has never been a single conviction under its auspices.
(There have been two indictments, in 1802 and 1852.)
Mis,
Iran just holds a mass rally every week for the last 30 years calling America “The Great Satan” and screaming DEATH TO AMERICA!
As far as the Logan Act and Kerry, there’s a first time for everything.
Regards,
Jim