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Does it really? I'm genuinely curious during what time period you think our government would've reacted differently. This got me thinking, how would people expe

Does it really? I'm genuinely curious during what time period you think our government would've reacted differently. This got me thinking, how would people expect different countries to react to something like this? By making that tweet he's impersonating a government agency and passing it off as an official document. If he hadn't posted that tweet I'm sure he wouldn't have anything to fear. EDIT: I looked up the relevant law: False Impersonation of Federal Officer or Employee [0]. It doesn't seem he got anything of value, so it's unlikely he could be charged. Although I'd be surprised if he didn't at least receive a stern conversation from a government official. [0] http://www3.ce9.uscourts.gov/jury-instructions/node/508 http://www3.ce9.uscourts.gov/jury-instructions/node/508

icebraining 9y ago
Is creating a document with an official letterhead but no signature an "impersonation of Federal Officer or Employee"? Paraphrasing Sir Humphrey, that seems to cause epistemological problems of sufficient magnitude as to lay upon the logical and semantic resources of the English language a heavier burden than they can reasonably be expected to bear.
- ImSkeptical 9y ago
  I think it depends what you're doing with it. For example, if I use my document with official letterhead to send my neighbor a fine that he should pay by mail in cash (that I can then intercept from his mailbox) - that's probably criminal. On the other hand, if I were to use my forged letterhead to write "Don't just trust anything written on a document like this, it's easy to forge!" I hope that wouldn't be. The original incident in the article seems more like the latter to me. If I were on the jury, I certainly wouldn't convict.
  - icebraining 9y ago
    Your example still seem like it wouldn't be impersonation, even if it's fraud.
- mattyw 9y ago
  It's not an official document unless it's officially written in the minutes by an official
  - mulmen 9y ago
    Surely that's what makes it impersonation?
    - icebraining 9y ago
      I believe mattyw was replying to my reference of Yes, Prime Minister with another one :) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Overboard_(Yes,_Prime_Minister)#Quote https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Overboard_(Yes,_Prime_Mini...

icebraining 9y ago

Is creating a document with an official letterhead but no signature an "impersonation of Federal Officer or Employee"? Paraphrasing Sir Humphrey, that seems to cause epistemological problems of sufficient magnitude as to lay upon the logical and semantic resources of the English language a heavier burden than they can reasonably be expected to bear.

ImSkeptical 9y ago
I think it depends what you're doing with it. For example, if I use my document with official letterhead to send my neighbor a fine that he should pay by mail in cash (that I can then intercept from his mailbox) - that's probably criminal. On the other hand, if I were to use my forged letterhead to write "Don't just trust anything written on a document like this, it's easy to forge!" I hope that wouldn't be. The original incident in the article seems more like the latter to me. If I were on the jury, I certainly wouldn't convict.
- icebraining 9y ago
  Your example still seem like it wouldn't be impersonation, even if it's fraud.
mattyw 9y ago
It's not an official document unless it's officially written in the minutes by an official
- mulmen 9y ago
  Surely that's what makes it impersonation?
  - icebraining 9y ago
    I believe mattyw was replying to my reference of Yes, Prime Minister with another one :) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Overboard_(Yes,_Prime_Minister)#Quote https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Overboard_(Yes,_Prime_Mini...