Logan Act

The Logan Act is a US federal law enacted on January 30, 1799, which criminalizes unauthorized American citizens from negotiating disputes between the US and a foreign government. The law was passed in response to George Logan's unauthorized negotiations with France in 1798 and was signed into law by President John Adams. Violation of the Logan Act is a felony punishable with imprisonment for up to three years. Only two people have been indicted for violating the Act, neither of whom was convicted. The law has been rarely enforced due to concerns that speech between a private citizen and a foreign government may qualify as free speech and be protected. The Act was amended in 1994 to change the penalty for violation.learn more on wikipedia