The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down part of a federal anti-corruption law that makes it a crime for state and local officials to take gifts valued at more than $5,000 from a donor who had previously been awarded lucrative contracts or other government benefits thanks to the efforts of the official.
By a 6-3 vote, the justices overturned the conviction of a former Indiana mayor who asked for and took a $13,000 payment from the owners of a local truck dealership after he helped them win $1.1 million in city contracts for the purchase of garbage trucks.
In ruling for the former mayor, the justices drew a distinction between bribery, which requires proof of an illegal deal, and a gratuity that can be a gift or a reward for a past favor. They said the officials may be charged and prosecuted for bribery, but not for taking money for past favors if there was no proof of an illicit deal.
“no proof of an illicit deal”
The money IS the proof of the illicit deal, they gave him money when there was no legal or reasonable reason to give him money.
“We wanted to just give away money” isn’t a legal reason for anyone who isn’t recording for a you tube channel at this point.
But the SCOTUS already said money is free speech. This is exactly the natural progression of Republican corruption we expected.
One of the clowns on this court is a corrupt fuckhead who has been accepting bribes from billionaires for years.
Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?
This was another case by the conservative law network where the facts were either made up, or so badly misrepresented that they might as well have been made up. This mayor basically walked into the company’s office and said, “I got you those contracts. Give me money if you want any more in the future.”