[nickcarraway]

I don’t object to what he is saying. Have you heard of the Logan Amendment? Do you remember how mad people were when Senator Obama traveling to other countries negotiating foreign policy?

[kingattax]

very respectfully, which is it ? you want to indict Sen Cruz for violating the Logan Act or you want to give a history lesson ?

[okie01]

Text of the Logan Act:

§ 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.

Note the qualification "without the authority of the United States".

Now, be aware of the official position of the Department of State as of 1995:

The clear intent of this provision [Logan Act] is to prohibit unauthorized persons from intervening in disputes between the United States and foreign governments. Nothing in section 953 [Logan Act], however, would appear to restrict members of the Congress from engaging in discussions with foreign officials in pursuance of their legislative duties under the Constitution.

Thus, it appears that members of Congress are "authorized" to have conversations with foreign governments -- but not to >negotiate with them unless expressly authorized by the President.

Notably, only one indictment has been brought under Section 953 -- that against Peter Flournoy, a private citizen, in 1803. But the case was dropped and there has never been a prosecution under the Logan Act.

There have been times when members of Congress have apparently entered negotiations with foreign governments without proper authority and, indeed, work to defeat a policy of the United States. In these cases, the argument that they have violated the Logan Act can certainly be made -- though it has never led to a prosecution.

However, Senator Cruz clearly has not exceeded his authority under the terms of the act.

[Ben Ficklin]

Obama was on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Plus, Obama had aligned himself with Richard Lugar who held the republican chair of the committee.

This is a foreign policy doctrine issue, not a political issue.

On one side are the NeoCon republicans aligned with the Liberal Interventionist democrats versus the Realists who can be a democrat or republican.

To put it another way: Republican Senator Mark Kirk and Democrat Senator Robert Menendez versus Republican Senator Bob Corker and Democrat Senator Diane Feinstein.

Or to put it another way: AIPAC versus J Street

[McGruff]

Have you heard of the Logan Amendment?

No not really but I did look it up. Funny I haven't heard this mentioned in any recent campaigns. Wouldn't this apply to Senator McCain sticking his nose into Libya, Syria and Ukraine's internal affairs.