Obstruction of proceedings before departments, agencies, and committees
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, with intent to avoid, evade, prevent, or obstruct compliance, in whole or in part, with any civil investigative demand duly and properly made under the Antitrust Civil Process Act, withholds, misrepresents, removes from any place, conceals, covers up, destroys, mutilates, alters, or by other means falsifies any documentary material, answers to written interrogatories, or oral testimony, which is the subject of such demand; or to do so or solicits another to do so; or
Whoever , or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication influences, obstructs, or impedes or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede the due and proper administration of the law under which any pending proceeding is being had before any department or agency of the United States, or the due and proper exercise of the power of inquiry under which any inquiry or investigation is being had by either House, or any committee of either House or any joint committee of the Congress—
Shall be , imprisoned not more than 5 years or, if the offense involves international or domestic terrorism (as defined in section 2331), imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 770 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 87–664, §6(a), Sept. 19, 1962, 76 Stat. 551 (PDF, 1.0 MB); Pub. L. 91–452, title IX, §903, Oct. 15, 1970, 84 Stat. 947 (PDF, 7.6 MB); Pub. L. 94–435, title I, §105, Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1389 (PDF, 2.5 MB); Pub. L. 97–291, §4(d), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1253 (PDF, 1.7 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB); Pub. L. 108–458, title VI, §6703(a), Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3766.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to obstruct proceedings before a federal department or agency, or an investigation by Congress or its committees, by corrupt means, threats, or force. It is also a crime to hide, destroy, or falsify documents or testimony demanded in an antitrust civil investigation, or to try to do so.