Q: Hi, I’m being questioned by the secret service tomorrow about my tweets, which were meant to be jokes, what should I do?
A:
You are not required to talk to the Secret Service. That said, you should contact an attorney experienced in federal criminal law and do it right now.
Given the short notice it is unlikely that a defense attorney will be in a position to tell you anything more than that they need more time to assess your situation. They may advise you to tell the Secret Service that you are consulting with an attorney and need to reschedule (or cancel) the interview. The general rule is that it is never in a suspect’s best interests to talk to investigators (they are hoping you will provide them with evidence that can be used against you). However, depending on the specific facts on a case, it may be in your interest to submit to an interview, BUT ONLY IF YOU HAVE YOUR ATTORNEY PRESENT.
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