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Wait, so let's say I'm at the post office buying stamps, and I hand the cashier a $20, and she says, "Don't you have anything smaller?" and I say no, even thoug
by raldi 15y ago
Wait, so let's say I'm at the post office buying stamps, and I hand the cashier a $20, and she says, "Don't you have anything smaller?" and I say no, even though I do, because I want the change.
Could I be convicted under this law?
- ww520 15y agoIf the cashier is a federal agent.
- raldi 15y agoI'm pretty sure all USPS employees are.
- ww520 15y agoI thought USPS is a "private" company, just heavily regulated. Edit: Never mind. It has a complicate ownership, as a US government-owned corporation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Postal_Service http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Postal_Service
- jakejake 15y agoI think the law is only applied when it's in relation to a crime, but it is an interesting thought and shows how an overly broad law could be easily abused.
- droithomme 15y agoIt is unlikely you would be convicted, but yes, you have violated that law in the circumstance you describe.
- rprasad 15y agoNo, nor have you broken the law as it is written. The key factor here is that the statement must be made about a matter in which a federal investigative or regulatory agency has authority to pursue legal actions, i.e., in relation to an investigation into violations of federal laws or regulations. What the discussion on HN ignores (and which the article touches upon but glosses over) is that the lie (about hours) is repeated to a federal agent during an investigation or on court. The repetition is the illegal act. I am a lawyer...and I would really love it if the armchair laywers on HN would stop spreading FUD.