SCOTUS Allows Payments To Reward Public Officials

The New York Times reports:

The Supreme Court limited the sweep of a federal law on Wednesday aimed at public corruption, ruling that it did not apply to gifts and payments meant to reward actions taken by state and local officials.

The 6-to-3 ruling, which split along ideological lines, was the latest in a series of decisions cutting back federal anti-corruption laws. The decision was issued as the court faces increased scrutiny over its ethics practices.

Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, writing for a conservative majority, said that the question in the case was whether federal law makes it a crime for state and local officials to accept such gratuities after the fact. He wrote, “The answer is no.”

Read the full article.

Public officials can take “gratuities” so long as they are paid after official acts are performed? We can assume this new rule applies to Supreme Court justices too….

Anti-corruption laws: Supreme Court sides with mayor accused of accepting a bribe https://t.co/U73iRDFxCk

— Richard W. Painter (@RWPUSA) June 26, 2024

Supreme Court guts anti-corruption law, permitting gratuities to public officials — like a $13K check from a gov’t vendor to a mayor mere weeks after winning a contract

Court rules 6-3, with liberal justices dissentinghttps://t.co/jxtFPxctqi

— Matt Hamilton (@MattHjourno) June 26, 2024