If you haven’t heard about the 47 Senators who sent a letter to the “Leaders Of Iran” you can read about it HERE and see the backlash HERE and HERE.  But first, the Logan Act, was established in 1799 during President John Adams tenure as president, forbids unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments.

The text of the act reads:

§ 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.

The Act was passed following George Logan‘s unauthorized negotiations with France in 1798, and was signed into law by President John Adams on January 30, 1799. The Act was last amended in 1994, and violation of the Logan Act is a felony.

But, did they commit treason? Did they actually do anything at all?  Kris Anne Hall, a constitutional attorney, gives an explanation of the surrounding story and puts it into perspective according to the U.S. Constitution.

 

If the audio does not play, you can go HERE to the original page to listen.