Far-left Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington state has admitted to undermining the embargo against Cuba, which some interpreted as a serious criminal violation.
The Trump administration has forbidden oil tanker shipments to the Communist-ruled island after the daring military arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro in early January.
She called the humanitarian situation in Cuba a ‘crisis beyond imagination’ due to the US embargo.
Jayapal admitted that she attempted to orchestrate oil shipments despite the embargo while on a congressional delegation to Cuba.
“As many of you know, I traveled to Cuba as part of a congressional delegation last month,” she said during remarks in Seattle recently. “It is part of my role to see how U.S. foreign policy is actually affecting the people in the countries where that policy is being implemented.”
She called the humanitarian situation in Cuba a “crisis beyond imagination” due to the U.S. embargo.
“I was in conversations with the ambassadors from Mexico and some other places … trying to figure out how to get oil there,” Jayapal said after returning to the U.S.
She went on to say she met with various political officials, including Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.
When her comments went viral on social media and many accused her of violating U.S. law, she replied by justifying her actions.
“Breaking news: Members of Congress meet with ambassadors of other countries every day. That’s literally our right and responsibility,” Jayapal wrote sarcastically.
She has not been charged or investigated over the accusations.
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Some suggested she was violating the Logan Act, a 1799 restriction against U.S. citizens negotiating with foreign countries that are in conflict with the U.S.
Former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy said that prosecuting Jayapal under the Logan Act was unlikely and that she should face political accountability instead.
“There has never been a conviction under it — in fact, there have only been two indictments, the last one about 174 years ago,” he told Fox News Digital.
“There would be no criminal case,” he added, “unless it can be shown that she took some action that violated, or aided and abetted a violation of, the sanctions.”
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