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18 U.S.C. § 879 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 18. Crimes and Criminal Procedure § 879. Threats against former Presidents and certain other persons

Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by FindLaw Staff

(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully threatens to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon--

(1) a former President or a member of the immediate family of a former President;

(2) a member of the immediate family of the President, the President-elect, the Vice President, or the Vice President-elect;

(3) a major candidate for the office of President or Vice President, or a member of the immediate family of such candidate; or

(4) a person protected by the Secret Service under section 3056(a)(6);

shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(b) As used in this section--

(1) the term “immediate family” means--

(A) with respect to subsection (a)(1) of this section, the spouse of a former President during a former President's lifetime, the surviving spouse of a former President until the surviving spouse's death or remarriage, and minor children of a former President until they reach sixteen years of age; and

(B) with respect to subsection (a)(2) and (a)(3) of this section, a person to whom the President, President-elect, Vice President, Vice President-elect, or major candidate for the office of President or Vice President--

(i) is related by blood, marriage, or adoption; or

(ii) stands in loco parentis;

(2) the term “major candidate for the office of President or Vice President” means a candidate referred to in subsection (a)(7) of section 3056 of this title; and

(3) the terms “President-elect” and “Vice President-elect” have the meanings given those terms in section 871(b) of this title.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - 18 U.S.C. § 879 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 18. Crimes and Criminal Procedure § 879. Threats against former Presidents and certain other persons - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/us/title-18-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/18-usc-sect-879.html

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