§136. Public salary extortion

A. Public salary extortion is committed when any person shall:

(1) Solicit or receive, or attempt to solicit or receive, either directly or indirectly, the payment of any money or other thing of value from any public officer or public employee to himself or any other person or political organization, through any means or form whatsoever and for any purpose whatsoever, when such payment is obtained or solicited upon suggestion or threat that the failure to make such payment shall result in the loss or impairment of value to such officer or employee of his office or employment, or when such payment shall be a reward or remuneration for securing such office or employment; and proof that such payments were collected from or paid by such officers or employees on a uniform or progressive percentage or amount basis, shall be presumptive evidence that payments were made under duress or upon the considerations set forth hereinbefore; however, a written request made pursuant to R.S. 14:135 shall serve to rebut the presumption that payment was made under duress; or

(2) Solicit or receive or attempt to solicit or receive, either directly or indirectly, the contribution of any money or other thing of value for any general, primary or special election or for any other political purpose, from any person holding any office or employment for remuneration or profit, including those persons who work on a commission basis, with the state, who receive a remuneration of two hundred dollars per month or less from such employment; provided that this Subdivision shall not apply where the person solicited or whose contribution was received was an elective public officer or a candidate for any elective public office.

B. Whoever commits the crime of public salary extortion shall be imprisoned for not more than five years with or without hard labor or shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars or both.

Amended by Acts 1980, No. 454, §1; Acts 1999, No. 318, §1.