WARNING: Strong language

ROSIE O’Donnell has been accused of committing a federal crime over a series of unhinged tweets in which she appeared to offer bribes to two US Senators to vote against Donald Trump’s tax plan.

The comedian and vocal Trump critic took to Twitter on Wednesday to offer Republican Senators Jeff Flake of Arizona and Susan Collins of Maine $US2 million each to vote against the sweeping tax cuts which ultimately passed US congress in a major win for the US President.

“so how about this,” O’Donnell tweeted. “i promise to give ... 2 million dollars to senator susan collins ... and 2 million to senator jeff flake ... if they vote NO ... NO I WILL NOT KILL AMERICANS ... FOR THE SUOER RICH ... DM me susan ... DM me jeff ... no s*** ... 2 million cash each.”

Asked by one Twitter user whether it “could actually work”, O’Donnell added, “i swear ... i will write them a check”, and in a follow up tweet addressed to Senator Collins wrote, “susan — 2 million dollar cash ... call if you want to negotiate.”

Commentators on both sides were quick to point out that bribing a public official is a criminal offence, specifically Title 18 U.S. Code § 201.

The law states that “whoever ... directly or indirectly, corruptly gives, offers or promises anything of value to any public official or person who has been selected to be a public official, or offers or promises any public official or any person who has been selected to be a public official to give anything of value to any other person or entity, with intent” in order to “influence any official act ... is in violation of federal law”.

“This tweet is literally a criminal offence, and is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $US12 million,” Lachlan Markay, reporter with the left-wing Daily Beast website, wrote on Twitter. Conservative Senator Ted Cruz concurred. “[Lachlan] raises a very good point,” he tweeted.

O’Donnell appeared unfazed, retweeting a series of news articles covering the controversy and messages of support from fellow Twitter users on Wednesday evening.

so how about this

i promise to give

2 million dollars to senator susan collins

and 2 million to senator jeff flake



if they vote NO

NO I WILL NOT KILL AMERICANS

FOR THE SUOER RICH



DM me susan

DM me jeff



no shit

2 million

cash

each — ROSIE (@Rosie) December 20, 2017

Could this actually work? — Nick (@Fiddies2) December 20, 2017

It’s bribery, I know you’re joking but you cannot pay lawmakers to vote. We’re almost @Russia but not quite yet



How about you help fund their opponents if they vote the wrong way, pretty sure that’s legal :) — Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) December 20, 2017

i swear



i will write them a check — ROSIE (@Rosie) December 20, 2017

rachel meadow asks - "was susan collins engaged ... did u feel a heartbeat - was she human" SHE THINKS ITS SEXIST ? NO U SEE SUSAN STOOD AND SAID - NO - I WONT KILL AMERICANS - AND NOW SHE SAYS "YES - YES I WILL KILL AMERICANS" FUCK U SUSAN COLLINS - U MAKE ME SICK - UR NO WOMAN — ROSIE (@Rosie) December 20, 2017

WE CANNOT SIT AT HOME WHILE THEY ROB OUR NATION - YOUR NEIGHBORS HEALTH CARE - FOR THE FUCKING MERCERS AND KOCH BROTHERS - FUCK THEM - RISE UP — ROSIE (@Rosie) December 20, 2017

susan - 2 million dollars cash

call if u want to negotiate



do u think your family is proud of u @sennatorcollins



woman - mother - grandmother - sister - daughter

u have betrayed us all



dear god

ask for forgiveness

redeem ur soul tomorrow #NOTSEXIST pic.twitter.com/wa0QcMXNk2 — ROSIE (@Rosie) December 20, 2017

Here's a fun fact, @Rosie: Under 18 U.S. Code §201, offering $4 million in bribes to senators to influence a vote is punishable with up to $12m in fines and/or imprisonment for as much as 15 years. https://t.co/MReYBS4UHr https://t.co/uj9RpsOddj — Jeff Jacoby (@Jeff_Jacoby) December 20, 2017

Excited for all of you who are consumed with tax reform this morning, but right now Rosie O’Donnell is a fugitive from the law. Prioritize. — Allahpundit (@allahpundit) December 20, 2017

If Trump orders Sessions to investigate Rosie, he will be carved into Rushmore by Friday. — Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) December 20, 2017

This tweet is literally a criminal offense, and is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $12 million pic.twitter.com/m1pZKIYW7D — Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) December 20, 2017

WHOOPS! Rosie O’Donnell May Have COMMITTED FELONY on Twitter https://t.co/rsXy6Z00CE — Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) December 20, 2017

The dear @Rosie makes a joke about bribing the @GOP to make a point, and the Alt-reich goes bat shit crazy.



It's like they don't have humor in Russia. — Pesach 'Pace' Lattin ⏺ (@pacelattin) December 20, 2017

After Rosie O'Donnell's public attempt to bribe Susan Collins or Jeff Flake with 2 million each, she should probably expect calls from other politicians telling her the proper and usual way to offer bribes quietly and secretly. — @PaulMicRogers (@PaulMicRogers) December 20, 2017

don't put Rosie O'Donnell in prison for offering Jeff Flake $2 million in some harebrained doomed scheme you snitches — Yule Hog (@ByYourLogic) December 20, 2017

Louise Mensch had to tell Rosie O'Donnell to knock it off, re: bribery.

Rosie O'Donnell had to tell Kathy Griffin to knock it off, re: the beheading.

Kathy Griffin had to tell the press to knock it off, re: Melania's shoes. — Michael Malice (@michaelmalice) December 20, 2017

Wasn't Rosie O'Donnell one of the celebrities who said they'd move to Canada if Trump was elected? — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) December 20, 2017

if Rosie O'Donnell's tweet "bribe" is considered a felony then we should probably IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT for all of his actual crimes — Katy Stoll (@katystoll) December 20, 2017

That sound you hear is every right-wing blog frantically trying to publish its learned analysis of Rosie O'Donnell's federal crimes first — Jay Willis (@jaywillis) December 20, 2017

The legal battle over Rosie O'Donnell's Senate bribery tweet is totally going to go the Supreme Court, isn't it? — Anthony L. Fisher (@anthonyLfisher) December 20, 2017

The media is seriously going to write more about Rosie O'Donnell attempting to pay off two senators in order to save the American people than the K Street lobbyists who wrote this atrocity of a tax bill to enrich themselves, the GOP, and donors?



Okay then. — Charlotte Clymer🏳️‍🌈 (@cmclymer) December 20, 2017