Jared Kushner just flagrantly violating the Logan Act multiple times. Will anything come of it? Doubtful.
The Logan Act says nothing about contracts.
It bans “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”.
Trying to influence others is fundamentally protected by the First Amendment, even if (especially if!) your interests are not the same as those of the government.
It bans “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”.
What exactly do you think negotiating U.S.-Saudi diplomacy when he wasn’t tasked to by the government is doing?
He is trying to influence Saudi-US diplomatic relations, which we all have a First Amendment right to do.
He isn’t “negotiating a contract”, because only agents of the US government can negotiate contracts with the US.
What you quoted literally says it’s banned. I mean “with intent to influence” is right there in the text you quoted. Did you even read it?
Trying to influence others is fundamentally protected by the First Amendment, even if (especially if!) your interests are not the same as those of the government.
Charles Manson would like to hire you as a lawyer.
Charles Manson was guilty of murder and conspiracy, which are more than just influencing others. Both require taking some concrete action.
Oh so you just have no idea what he’s in jail for, got it. He never murdered anyone, he famously convinced other people to commit murder and got convicted of murder himself. You know, the complete opposite of what you think the 1st amendment protects you from.
International diplomacy without being an elected official or appointed by one is not protected speech. Using overly reductive language to make it sound like a campaign stop won’t change that.
The SCOTUS has made pretty clear that all speech is protected unless it falls into one of these categories:
- Incitement
- Obscenity
- Defamation
- Fraud
- Illegal advertising
- Fighting words
- Threats
- CSAM
“International diplomacy” isn’t among the exceptions, and therefore it’s protected.
