Rick HasenVerified account

1/ But the statute has a lot more text than "thing of value" that is getting lost in this discussion. I agree, this was a thing of value.

I try to lay it out in a number of blog posts, shortened in slate. solicitation thing of value from foreign person/entity w/knowledge

1/ Unless I'm mistaken, the statute doesn't prohibit soliciting a thing of value. It prohibits soliciting a contribution or donation,

2/ and specific kind of contribution or donation is in the form of money or a thing of value.

we must be talking past each other.

Can you cite to the text that defines a contribution or donation as a thing of value in the abstract? That would help.

I think we agree the key phrase is this: "a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value." I read that as having two parts:

First, a contribution or donation. Second, a specific kind of contribution or donation: one of money or another thing of value.