In recent days, federal law enforcement agents across the government received a jarring communication from the Justice Department: a warning they could be prosecuted under a Civil War-era law if they respond to an election polling place with guns, even for a fake report of a crime.
“This statute -- which has been on existence since 1864 -- makes it a felony for a federal official to send armed personnel to an operational polling place for crowd control or other purposes,” the memo added.
Agents told they could face felony under a law passed in 1865 even if responding to a fake threat at polling places. At least one retired FBI agent blasted the memo for treating "street agents like children."
justthenews.com