The US supreme court just basically legalized bribery | Moira Donegan | The Guardian

The Satellite
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SC calls $13k gift after contract awarded
a gratuity and not bribe.

Guess timing is everything !
Sure is going to make corruption prosecution much more difficult however.

Agree, disagree, discuss ?

In a series of recent decisions, the Supreme Court has adopted a narrow interpretations of federal anti-corruption laws.

James Snyder, the former mayor of Portage, Indiana, was convicted of accepting $13,000 from a trucking company weeks after it was awarded a contract. Snyder argued the payment was an after-the-fact “gratuity” that wasn’t covered by the federal bribery statute.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/26/politics/scotus-anti-corruption-portage-indiana-james-snyder/index.html

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They are covering their own corrupt behinds.

This court is a sham. Zero credibility.

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Prob should be illegal bc it sets precedent that they expect it on other jobs with SC or even other companies doing business with SC.

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Money given prior to awarding a contract is a bribe.

Money given 5 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month after being awarded a contract is just a gratuity.

Simple enough ?

There has got to be more than just an interval of time in determining if a crime had been committed. I would think if there is a recording or discussion of a future gratuity, it’s still just a bribe by another name.

I tend to agree some this court is trying to provide cover for some of their gifts they have received.

Or to say it another way, the court has reaffirmed our personal freedoms to accept string free gifts.

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Should be any extra consideration/ $ given for contract awards is illegal no matter when it’s given. Just offer a bid and let the best or lowest bid win fairly.

In prostitution cases, does it matter when money was given? Guessing most money is after which is still illegal otherwise the guy can say it was just a date and I gave her money for shoes after I noticed she needed shoes or some bs like that.

So like prostitution , bids should have no extra money involved no matter the timing.

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Apparently SC discussion was about defining
corruptly.

Part of the challenge of the case was setting a standard for how to define “corruptly.”

How about a common sense approach. Had the giver had a prior history of making gifts to you prior to your awarding contracts ?

I wonder if 51 is proud how this court is
preserving our freedoms with this decision.
@Coog51

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If you are talking about Thomas and his gifts, I think it sucks and if he had any integrity he would resign. But he doesn’t and he won’t. So you have to deal with life as it is not as you would wish it to be.

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Justice Thomas stands out but he is not alone in the gifts they have received.

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Yeah true enough. They seem to be prodded on by awful wives.

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Tipping culture getting out of hand.

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Fact is since Macullfie (sp) the legal definition of bribery is now so narrow that to be a crime it almost literally has to be a bag of money with a dollar sign and a letter explaining the bribe.

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But if accompanied with a thank you card it’s all good.

Something like this should cover the bases.

“With this gift of money, I hereby recognize you as a friend. Thank You”

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If the $13k was agreed to prior and paid after, that would be a bribe. Obviously there was no proof it was a quid pro quo

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This all, you need to know this court and the 6 have lost their minds and souls and common sense and are corrupt to their very core.

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You’re just now figuring this out?

Would have helped if RBG retired during the correct administration.

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This feels more like a kickback than a bribe, although the two are related.

In the end, this will be manipulated. Whether or not this was an actual kickback or whatever, we just gave the roadmap for the future on how to get around that.

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No not really. It’s the audaciousness they show they are not the least bit concerned about trying to pretend they are truly trying to deliver justice.Land of the rich, by the rich for the rich

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How about keeping it simple.

No government official can accept or receive any gifts greater than $50 value from anyone they do business with in their official government capacity.

Stop the corruption.

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Americans have eyes and they have ears. The reason we are where we are is constant lies and corruption.

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Leonard Leo and Harlan Crow are pleased. And thus Clarence is also happy

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