A 'Toothless' Old Law Could Have New Fangs, Thanks To Robert Mueller

The law intended to shine a light on foreign entities and foreign governments working to influence policy in Washington, D.C., has been called everything from "toothless" to "a complete joke."

But Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller isn't laughing — and neither may potential violators if he decides to make it his new weapon of choice.

From 1966 to 2017, the Justice Department sought just seven prosecutions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, which requires Americans working on behalf of foreign governments, foreign political parties, or any person or organization outside the U.S., to disclose who is paying them to do what.

"The perception out there in the regulated community is that it's a toothless statute," said Christopher DeLacy, a partner at law firm Holland & Knight and leader of the firm's political law team.

Then, in October, Mueller's office changed that when it indicted former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his longtime