A Skeptical Supreme Court Seems Poised to Overturn Public Corruption Rulings

 

The Supreme Court seems poised to restrict, once again, the ability of federal prosecutors to hold accountable state officials engaged in corrupt activities.
Not long ago, the Court overturned the conviction of then Virginia governor Bob McDonnell, who accepted lavish gifts in exchange for arranging meetings for his benefactor with other public officials. The Court held that Mr. McDonnell’s action was not the kind of formal and concrete government activity necessary to constitute a corrupt bargain.
How can we expect a court whose members believe it appropriate to accept expensive trips, dinners and other benefits from lobbyists and find it unnecessary to recuse themselves from cases in which spouses have an interest, to uphold convictions for conduct which mirrors their own?