r/politics • u/usatoday ✔ USA TODAY • 7h ago

No Paywall Whistleblower warns Trump mail ballot plan could be 'catastrophic'

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/09/01/donald-trump-postal-service-mail-ballots-whistleblower/91559060007/
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u/-LsDmThC- 3h ago

“The offense of attempting to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or of betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power; disloyalty; treachery”

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u/Purple-Principle-805 3h ago

"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 3. The federal treason statute, 18 U.S.C. § 2381, mirrors the Constitution’s language.

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u/-LsDmThC- 3h ago

Im not sure why you are so caught up on the semantics but 18 USC Ch. 115 covers both treason and subversion and includes overthrow of the government (or just advocating/intent) such as election manipulation.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=%2Fprelim%40title18%2Fpart1%2Fchapter115&edition=prelim

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u/Purple-Principle-805 3h ago

Words have definitions, especially when the context is legal. The Constitution defines treason for us. That the statute in question also discusses other crimes does not change its adherence to the constitutional language. I agree that what Trump is doing with election interference is subversion, but not that it is treason.