Editing Contempt of Congress (section)

{{Short description|Act of obstructing the US Congress's work}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2014}}
'''Contempt of Congress'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contempt_of_congress|title=Contempt of Congress|website=LII / Legal Information Institute|language=en|access-date=2020-01-21|archive-date=August 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803060749/http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contempt_of_Congress|url-status=live}}</ref> is the [[misdemeanor]] act of obstructing the work of the [[United States Congress]] or one of its [[United States congressional committee|committees]]. Historically, the bribery of a [[U.S. senator]] or [[U.S. representative]] was considered contempt of Congress. In modern times, contempt of Congress has generally applied to the refusal to comply with a [[subpoena]] issued by a congressional committee or [[United States Congressional subcommittee|subcommittee]]—usually seeking to compel either testimony or the production of requested documents.<ref>{{cite web |title=Obstruction of Congress: A Brief Overview of Federal Law Relating to Interference with Congressional Activities |url=https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL34304.html |publisher=EveryCRSReport.com |author=Congressional Research Service |access-date=19 December 2019 |date=27 December 2007 |quote=Obstruction of justice is the impediment of governmental activities. There are a host of federal criminal laws that prohibit obstructions of justice. The six most general outlaw obstruction of judicial proceedings (18 U.S.C. 1503), witness tampering (18 U.S.C. 1512), witness retaliation (18 U.S.C. 1513), obstruction of congressional or administrative proceedings (18 U.S.C. 1505), conspiracy to defraud the United States (18 U.S.C. 371), and contempt (a creature of statute, rule and common law). All but Section 1503 cover congressional activities. |archive-date=December 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219145643/https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL34304.html |url-status=live }}</ref>