A perceived lack of consequences has led to little FARA compliance by lobbyists, who influence U.S. politics without disclosing their foreign relationships. Giving FARA teeth and empowering the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) to investigate FARA violations will help improve compliance with this law and keep foreign influence out of U.S. politics.
The DOJ is already ramping up its FARA enforcement, as evidenced by the seven FARA-related criminal prosecutions stemming from the Mueller investigation. There’s no need to further enhance FARA legislatively — the DOJ merely needs to continue doing what it’s already doing.