“Defining a Theory of ‘Bribery’ for Impeachment”
Josh Blackman and Seth Barrett Tillman for Lawfare.
Category Archives: bribery
“Democrats Look to Build Case That Trump Tried to Bribe or Extort Ukraine”
NYT:
A top Democratic official said the witnesses — William B. Taylor Jr., the top diplomat in Ukraine, and George P. Kent, a senior State Department official — would lay out a timeline of serious misconduct by Mr. Trump and… Continue reading
“Don’t Rebrand Corruption”
“Susan Collins calls donations to her future opponent a ‘classic quid pro quo’ to extort her”
WaPo reports.
I wrote at Slate about why Collins is wrong about the law: Susan Collins Complains of “Bribery” After Nonbillionaires Try to Influence Her Kavanaugh Vote.
“Appeals court overturns U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah’s bribery convictions, upholds guilty verdict on other counts”
Philly Inquirer:
A federal appeals court in Philadelphia on Thursday overturned U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah’s bribery convictions in a decision that offered a small measure of vindication for the former Democratic congressman — but may not dramatically affect the … Continue reading
“New York Judge Declares a Mistrial in Ex-County Executive’s Bribery Case”
WSJ:
A Long Island judge on Thursday declared a mistrial in the case of Edward Mangano, the former Nassau County executive accused of public-corruption crimes, after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
Federal prosecutors said they would retry… Continue reading
“Ex-FBI honcho blasts Trump over Blagojevich”
Politico:
A top former FBI official accused President Donald Trump of acting out of spite against federal law enforcement after the president suggested Thursday he might commute former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s 14-year prison term.
Robert Grant, a longtime colleague… Continue reading
“I’m in Prison for Practicing Politics: Under the legal arguments the prosecutors used to convict me, all fundraising can be viewed as bribery.”
“Long Island Officials Traded Favors for Watches and Limo Rides, Prosecutors Say”
NYT:
The scheme, as outlined by federal prosecutors, was audacious. Top officials in Nassau County used political clout to help a restaurateur obtain county contracts and millions of dollars in loans. In return, the restaurateur was said to have showered… Continue reading
“Sheldon Silver Is Convicted in 2nd Corruption Trial”
NYT:
Sheldon Silver, the former powerful Democratic speaker of the New York State Assembly, was found guilty of federal corruption charges on Friday, less than a year after his first conviction on the same charges was thrown out….
Mr.… Continue reading
Without Noted Dissent, Supreme Court Declines to Hear Blaogojevich Appeal
Here is the order list. I had thought the case presented a meaty issue, but this may have not been the right vehicle to address it. (He tried to raise a similar issue a few years ago.)
“Supreme Court May Soon Decide When Campaign Check Becomes Bribe”
Bloomberg BNA:
Rod Blagojevich’s lawyers want the Supreme Court to tackle that question when the justices hold their weekly conference Friday. The court could reveal as soon as next week whether it will take the case.
Blagojevich’s former colleagues in… Continue reading
New Blagojevich Cert. Petition Scheduled for Supreme Court Conference on April 13 Raises Circuit Split over When Campaign Contributions Can Violate Federal Anticorruption Laws
Docket. Here’s the question presented:
When the Government prosecutes a public official for soliciting campaign contributions in alleged violation of the Hobbs Act or other federal anticorruption laws, must the Government prove the defendant made an “explicit promise or… Continue reading