18 USC § 610 - Coercion of political activity

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s610"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 610 - Coercion of political activity"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "610"
section_name: "Coercion of political activity"
chapter_number: 29
chapter_name: "ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 103–94, § 4(c)(1), Oct. 6, 1993, 107 Stat. 1005; amended Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(a)(1), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3497.)"
---


# § 610. Coercion of political activity

section 7322(1) of title 5

It shall be unlawful for any person to intimidate, threaten, command, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, command, or coerce, any employee of the Federal Government as defined in , United States Code, to engage in, or not to engage in, any political activity, including, but not limited to, voting or refusing to vote for any candidate or measure in any election, making or refusing to make any political contribution, or working or refusing to work on behalf of any candidate. Any person who violates this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 103–94, § 4(c)(1), Oct. 6, 1993, 107 Stat. 1005; amended Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(a)(1), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3497.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 610, acts , ; , ; , ; , , ; , , , prohibited campaign contributions or expenditures by national banks, corporations, and labor organizations, prior to repeal by , , . See , Voting and Elections.

### Amendments

1996— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date; Savings Provision

Section effective 120 days after , and no provision of  to affect any proceedings with respect to which charges were filed on or before 120 days after , with orders to be issued in such proceedings and appeals taken therefrom as if  had not been enacted, see , set out as a note under , Government Organization and Employees.