Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73
§605 Disclosure of names of persons on relief
Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 29— - ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES › § 605
Summary
For political purposes, it is illegal to give or accept lists of people who get pay, jobs, or benefits from federal work‑relief or relief programs and pass them to a candidate, campaign, or committee. Violators can be fined, jailed for up to one year, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §605
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, for political purposes, furnishes or discloses any list or names of persons receiving compensation, employment or benefits provided for or made possible by any Act of Congress appropriating, or authorizing the appropriation of funds for work relief or relief purposes, to a political candidate, committee, campaign manager, or to any person for delivery to a political candidate, committee, or campaign manager; and Whoever receives any such list or names for political purposes— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 61e, 61g (Aug. 2, 1939, 11:50 a.m., E.S.T., ch. 410, §§ 6, 8, 53 Stat. 1148). This section consolidates section 61e and 61g of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Reference to persons aiding or assisting, contained in words “or to aid or assist in furnishing or disclosing” was omitted as unnecessary as such persons are made principals by section 2 of this title. Changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 605
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73