Hi, Shrewd!        Login  
Shrewd'm.com 
A merry & shrewd investing community
Best Of PoliticsBest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd
Search
Shrewd'm.com Merry shrewd investors
Search
Best Of PoliticsBest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd


The week's question
In December 2024, in the thread "Re: BRK: Why Not XOM?", BreckHutHigh asked the members: "What about the long road trips with kids?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
Answer this questionContinue to Shrewd'mThis note won't appear again
Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (5) |
Author: albaby1 SILVER
SHREWD
  😊 😞

Number: of 84361 
Subject: Re: Thank You, Tom Fitton, Thank You
Date: 06/15/23 3:17 PM
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 1
If Fitton knew of the documents, and encouraged their retention, is he an accessory?

Probably not. Typically to be an accessory you have to have done something to help in the commission of the crime or have done something unlawful to help them avoid getting caught (accessory after the fact). Typically, you have to do something.

Here's the federal version:

"Whoever, knowing that an offense against the United States has been committed, receives, relieves, comforts or assists the offender in order to hinder or prevent his apprehension, trial or punishment, is an accessory after the fact."

law.cornell.edu: 18 U.S. Code § 3 - Accessory after the fact | U.S. Code | US Law

Merely knowing about a crime usually isn't enough to be an accessory. A lot of the time, you don't have an affirmative duty to report crimes. Note - while that's the general rule, there are a non-trivial number of situations where you have an affirmative duty to report a crime (often when you have some duty of care or responsibility for a victim), and there might even be criminal sanctions if you don't. But that's usually not an application of the "accessory" crime, but rather an independent violation of a statutory obligation.

Giving your opinion about whether something is or is not legal isn't likely to be a crime either, unless you cross the admittedly vague line between discussing the issues and actually helping them in committing the crime. Doesn't sound like that's what Fitton actually did.
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
Print the post
Members reply directly to albaby1 here — and replies get answered. Reading is free; so is joining the conversation. Join Shrewd'm »
This community has written 84,309 posts about US Policy. The article-length ones it recommended most:
It's going to get worse · 33 recs · 2025
G’day Donny · 30 recs · 2026
Old Related Story · 28 recs · 2026
HCR is a national treasure · 27 recs · 2025
Fascism in America · 27 recs · 2025
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (5) |


Announcements
US Policy FAQ
Contact Shrewd'm
Contact the developer of these message boards.

Best Of Politics | Best Of | Favourites & Replies | All Boards | Followed Shrewds | Open Questions | Moving a community