Remember back in 2017 when we all learned about the Logan Act? It’s the seldom heard of federal law from 1798 which makes it a crime for an unauthorized citizen of the United States to negotiate with a foreign government which has disputes with our own country.

The last time someone was indicted for a violation of the Logan Act was in 1852 when a US citizen tried to persuade the President of Mexico which American company should build a railroad across the Mexican countryside.

While there haven’t been many, if any, convictions for Logan Act violations, there have been plenty of investigations and threats of investigations revolving around the actions of US citizens, usually politicians or appointees, and their interactions with foreign powers.

It’s the investigation of federal crimes where most people get into trouble; you see it is a felony to fib to a federal agent who is investigating a crime. But you can lie to your heart’s content to a state trooper or local cop – and many people do.

It was a Logan Act investigation which caused Lt Gen Michael Flynn to earn the title of shortest serving National Security Advisor ever, 24 days. It was found out Mr. Flynn in December of 2016 had conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak when Flynn, a civilian, was part of President-Elect Trump’s transition team. Those conversations went unreported, but they didn’t go unheard.