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

Summary

It is illegal for anyone to scare, threaten, or force a federal employee (see 5 U.S.C. 7322(1) for who is covered) about taking part in politics. That includes choices like voting, donating money, or working for a candidate. Someone who breaks this law can be fined, jailed for up to three years, or both.

Title 18, §610

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

It shall be unlawful for any person to intimidate, threaten, command, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, command, or coerce, any employee of the Federal Government as defined in section 7322(1) of title 5, United States Code, to engage in, or not to engage in, any political activity, including, but not limited to, voting or refusing to vote for any candidate or measure in any election, making or refusing to make any political contribution, or working or refusing to work on behalf of any candidate. Any person who violates this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 610, acts

June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 723;

May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 10, 63 Stat. 90; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, § 20(c), 65 Stat. 718; Feb. 7, 1972, Pub. L. 92–225, title II, § 205, 86 Stat. 10; Oct. 15, 1974, Pub. L. 93–443, title I, § 101(e)(1), 88 Stat. 1267, prohibited campaign contributions or expenditures by national banks, corporations, and labor organizations, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–283, title II, § 201(a),

May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 496. See section 30118 of Title 52, Voting and Elections.

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Savings Provision

Section effective 120 days after Oct. 6, 1993, and no provision of Pub. L. 103–94 to affect any proceedings with respect to which charges were filed on or before 120 days after Oct. 6, 1993, with orders to be issued in such proceedings and appeals taken therefrom as if Pub. L. 103–94 had not been enacted, see section 12 of Pub. L. 103–94, set out as a note under section 7321 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

§610 Coercion of political activity