§600. Promise of employment or other benefit for political activity

Whoever, directly or indirectly, promises any employment, position, compensation, contract, appointment, or other benefit, provided for or made possible in whole or in part by any Act of Congress, or any special consideration in obtaining any such benefit, to any person as consideration, favor, or reward for any political activity or for the support of or opposition to any candidate or any political party in connection with any general or special election to any political office, or in connection with any primary election or political convention or caucus held to select candidates for any political office, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 721 ; Pub. L. 92–225, title II, §202, Feb. 7, 1972, 86 Stat. 9 ; Pub. L. 94–453, §3, Oct. 2, 1976, 90 Stat. 1517 ; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§61b, 61g (Aug. 2, 1939, 11:50 a.m., E.S.T., ch. 410, §§3, 8, 53 Stat. 1147, 1148).

This section consolidates sections 61b and 61g of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed.

Minor changes were made in phraseology.

Amendments

1994-Pub. L. 103–322 substituted "fined under this title" for "fined not more than $10,000".

1976-Pub. L. 94–453 substituted $10,000 for $1,000 maximum allowable fine.

1972-Pub. L. 92–225 struck out "work," after "position,", inserted "contract, appointment," after "compensation," and "or any special consideration in obtaining any such benefit," after "Act of Congress,", and substituted "in connection with any general or special election to any political office, or in connection with any primary election or political convention or caucus held to select candidates for any political office" for "in any election".

Effective Date of 1972 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 92–225 effective Dec. 31, 1971, or sixty days after date of enactment [Feb. 7, 1972], whichever is later, see section 408 of Pub. L. 92–225, set out as an Effective Date note under section 431 of Title 2, The Congress.

Canal Zone

Applicability of section to Canal Zone, see section 14 of this title.

Cross References

Minor offenses tried by United States magistrate judges as excluding offenses punishable under this section, see section 3401 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 14 of this title.