A 'Toothless' Old Law Could Have New Fangs, Thanks To Robert Mueller

[orangecrush]

The law intended to shine a light on foreign entities and foreign governments working to influence policy in Washington, D.C., has been called everything from "toothless" to "a complete joke."

But Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller isn't laughing — and neither may potential violators if he decides to make it his new weapon of choice.

From 1966 to 2017, the Justice Department sought just seven prosecutions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, which requires Americans working on behalf of foreign governments, foreign political parties, or any person or organization outside the U.S., to disclose who is paying them to do what.

"The perception out there in the regulated community is that it's a toothless statute," said Christopher DeLacy, a partner at law firm Holland & Knight and leader of the firm's political law team.


Then, in October, Mueller's office changed that when it indicted former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his longtime business associate Rick Gates — instantly becoming the highest-profile FARA prosecution ever.

Those charges have raised the question about whether Mueller has more up his sleeve for other people swept up in the Russia probe who could be connected with lobbying and influence work for foreign governments and entities.

https://www.npr.org/2017/11/17/563737981/a-toothless-old-law-could-have-new-fangs-thanks-to-robert-mueller

[lagomorph777]

1. Trump is feeling FARA's bite already.

Mueller is taking a huge chunk out of that ample orange ass.

[orangecrush]

2. Just read about that

He's finally paying some people who work for him!

It's a miracle!

[FarCenter]

3. Interesting, but there is a huge amount of lobbying by many foreign entities.

Since the US is the "sole superpower", essentially all governments and foreign multinational businesses and NGOs have an interest in influencing US policies.

The number of registrations began to plummet through the late 1990s, according to the Justice Department's IG report, leaving the total number of active foreign principals at 561 at the end of 2014 — compared to a high of 2,079 in 1991.

That can partially be explained by a registration fee being introduced in 1993 and another law, the Lobbying Disclosure Act, providing an exemption for a few select situations.

But no one in Washington thinks fewer people today are working for foreign entities to influence American policy than there were 25 years ago. One theory is that the Justice Department on a whole hasn't been interested in prosecuting cases related to FARA, so foreign agents have, on a whole, been lax in reporting.

Fewer than 10 staffers at the Justice Department are devoted full time to investigating and enforcing FARA cases, said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in July.

"It appears that the Justice Department and FBI have been seriously lax in enforcing FARA for a long time," Grassley said.

[orangecrush]

5. Interesting!

Thanks for providing that information!

[lunatica]

4. Criminals gotta be pretty damn cognizant of the laws nowadays

I'd never heard of the Foreign Agents Registration Act so I assume many real crooks haven't either.

I wonder if there has been a rush to sign up lately.

[orangecrush]

6. There may be a rush now

That they know the law is going to be enforced!!!!