Hey kids — wanna sign a petition?
A petition on whitehouse.gov calling for charges to be filed against the 47 senators who sent an open letter to the leaders of Iran, possibly in violation of the Logan Act, has collected more than 165,000 signatures in less than two days. Because the petition exceeded 100,000 signatures within 30 days, the White House is required to respond.
The creator of this petition, known only by the initials C.H., alleges that the 47 senators “committed a treasonous offense when they decided to violate the Logan Act, a 1799 law which forbids unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments.” The letter, which was published on Monday, warned Iranian leaders that any nuclear deal they sign with President Obama won’t last past his second term.
Of course, there is exactly zero legal ground for any such charges to be brought under the suddenly popular (on the Left) Logan Act — which, by the way, John Kerry flagrantly violated when he interfered in the Paris peace talks near the end of the Vietnam War.
Jerome Barron, a professor of Constitutional Law at George Washington University, told ABC News in an interview that he finds the senators’ letter “disrespectful,” but he does not believe the senators have committed treason.
“They would make the argument the Logan Act doesn’t apply because they are one of the three branches of government and although the they don’t have the major role of foreign relations, they do, after all, as the senate, confirm treaties,” Barron said. “It’s true this is an executive agreement, but they [the Senate] have some role I suppose. I don’t think they’re in violation of the Logan Act.”
So what? The point of the exercise is to smear the 47 senators, led by freshman Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and to create yet another point to be used during the 2016 campaign. And don’t forget the cardinal rule of the Creepy Obama Cult: Must protect… the Precious!
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