Have the tables turned on John Boehner? Treason is not a pretty word, but it is one that is being kicked around with Boehner’s name attached. Boehner extended an invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to speak in the House of Representatives on March 3, which Netanyahu accepted.
Boehner’s invitation was made the day after President Obama’s State of the Union address, where he made it clear that he would veto any legislation regarding sanctions on Iran because, in part, it would undermine the progress made so far in dealing with Iran. .
Republicans had been talking sanctions against Iran because of their nuclear capabilities, but they also have an ally in Netanyahu. So much so, that he is known as the Republican from Israel. Netanyahu and President Obama have had some tense moments, and so have Boehner and President Obama, but this time, Boehner may have crossed the line. He broke standard protocol by not involving the White House in the decision to invite Netanyahu, but he may have done more than that – he may have committed treason.
There is a law called the Logan Act, which was enacted in 1799. The Logan Act makes it illegal to for unauthorized American citizens to negotiate with foreign countries. To be found guilty, it would have to be proven that he acted without authority to do so.
Another scenario that could be trouble for Boehner is if he accepted campaign money or invited Netanyahu to speak to Congress in efforts to raise campaign money. It is not clear how much this will be pursued, if at all. The timing and the actions are typical passive aggressive Boehner behavior, but he may get more than he bargained for with this latest stunt, he may get what he deserves.