Logan Act
Definition
A United States federal law (18 U.S.C. § 953), enacted in 1799, that prohibits unauthorized American citizens from negotiating with foreign governments or their agents in disputes or controversies with the U.S., under penalty of fine or imprisonment.
Often invoked in political discourse as a rarely enforced statute to criticize opponents for backchannel diplomacy, earning it a reputation as more of a rhetorical club than a legal hammer.
Examples
When Uncle Bob started emailing the Russian embassy about hockey trades, the family warned him he was skating dangerously close to the Logan Act.
Politicians dusted off the Logan Act faster than a forgotten gym membership when the opposition chatted with a foreign leader over Zoom.
My cat's midnight negotiations with the neighbor's dog over territory? Total Logan Act violation, if only pets could be prosecuted.
In the era of Twitter diplomacy, accusing someone of breaching the Logan Act is just passive-aggressive spellcheck for 'I disagree with your foreign policy take.'