§211 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

Makes it a crime to ask for or take money or anything valuable in return for promising to support or use influence to get someone a federal appointed job. The punishment can be a fine, up to one year in jail, or both. It is also a crime to ask for or take something of value to help someone get a federal job by sending their name to a federal department or by charging a fee because they were hired. The same fines and jail time apply. It is not a crime when an employment agency does this after a federal department asks in writing.

Title 18, §211

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever solicits or receives, either as a political contribution, or for personal emolument, any money or thing of value, in consideration of the promise of support or use of influence in obtaining for any person any appointive office or place under the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. Whoever solicits or receives any thing of value in consideration of aiding a person to obtain employment under the United States either by referring his name to an executive department or agency of the United States or by requiring the payment of a fee because such person has secured such employment shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. This section shall not apply to such services rendered by an employment agency pursuant to the written request of an executive department or agency of the United States.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 150 and 151 (Dec. 11, 1926, ch. 3, §§ 2, 3, 44 Stat. 918). Same changes of style and substance were made in this section as in section 214 of this title.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 211, act June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 693, related to an offer of a gratuity to a revenue officer, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 87–849 and is substantially covered in revised section 201.

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” in two places. 1951—Act Sept. 13, 1951, inserted second paragraph.

§211 Acceptance or solicitation to obtain appointive public office