@jeffwM to News • 5 months agoThe Supreme Court rules that state officials can engage in a little corruption, as a treatwww.vox.comexternal-linkmessage-square158arrow-up11.25Karrow-down115cross-posted to: nottheonion
arrow-up11.24Karrow-down1external-linkThe Supreme Court rules that state officials can engage in a little corruption, as a treatwww.vox.com@jeffwM to News • 5 months agomessage-square158cross-posted to: nottheonion
minus-square@Maggotylink5•edit-25 months agoExcept SCOTUS will just strike down the next one too. The modern court has never supported bribery charges that come before it. Edit to add a quick history from the last 25 years. Sun Diamond Growers - The government must prove the bribe is actually connected to the act. Skilling - Corruption charges require a second party to give you a bribe or kickback, self dealing is fine. Citizens United - Money is political speech, and you can spend as much as you want on an election. McDonnell - Acting as a pay to play gatekeeper is fine. Even if the government connects the bribe to the act. Ted Cruz - Politicians can keep unspent campaign funds as long as they maintain the fiction of having lent the campaign money. Snyder - Kickbacks aren’t actionable. <- We are here.
Except SCOTUS will just strike down the next one too. The modern court has never supported bribery charges that come before it.
Edit to add a quick history from the last 25 years.
Sun Diamond Growers - The government must prove the bribe is actually connected to the act.
Skilling - Corruption charges require a second party to give you a bribe or kickback, self dealing is fine.
Citizens United - Money is political speech, and you can spend as much as you want on an election.
McDonnell - Acting as a pay to play gatekeeper is fine. Even if the government connects the bribe to the act.
Ted Cruz - Politicians can keep unspent campaign funds as long as they maintain the fiction of having lent the campaign money.
Snyder - Kickbacks aren’t actionable. <- We are here.