DOJ Leader Raises Specter of Civil Actions Targeting Foreign Influence
"We should expect to see a continued focus on this area—and not just measured by criminal cases,” John Demers, head of the national security division at Main Justice, says.
April 17, 2019 at 11:59 PM
6 minute read
A senior U.S. Justice Department official signaled Wednesday that prosecutors will expand their tactics to drive the increased disclosure of foreign influence campaigns, using civil authority to force advocates to report work connected to overseas governments.
John Demers, the assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's national security division, said prosecutors will continue to step up their enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act—but not always with the hammer of a criminal prosecution.
Noting that FARA is “not just a criminal” statute, Demers said the Justice Department can also take a lighter touch and pursue civil court actions to halt foreign influence campaigns and require disclosures without a prosecution that raises the possibility of a prison sentence.
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