Post by Logan on Jun 28, 2016 4:19:37 GMT -6
Blago unlikely to benefit from ex-Va. gov.’s Supreme Court win
The victory for Virginia’s ex-governor at the U.S. Supreme Court Monday isn’t likely to be of much help to Illinois’ own imprisoned former chief executive, Rod Blagojevich.
Leonard Goodman, Blagojevich’s appellate attorney, said the Supreme Court handed down a “pretty narrow” ruling when it threw out the bribery conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. It revolved around the definition of an “official act” — something he said Blagojevich’s legal team never contested.
But legal experts said the ruling could affect public corruption probes in the future.
Chief Justice John Roberts said McDonnell’s conduct in accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from a wealthy businessman in exchange for promoting a dietary supplement may have been “distasteful” or even “tawdry,” but didn’t necessarily violate federal bribery laws. He agreed with McDonnell that instructions to his trial jury about what constitutes “official acts” was so broad that it could include virtually any action a public official might take while in office.
Read more: chicago.suntimes.com/politics/ex-virginia-governors-supreme-court-win-no-boon-to-blago/
The victory for Virginia’s ex-governor at the U.S. Supreme Court Monday isn’t likely to be of much help to Illinois’ own imprisoned former chief executive, Rod Blagojevich.
Leonard Goodman, Blagojevich’s appellate attorney, said the Supreme Court handed down a “pretty narrow” ruling when it threw out the bribery conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. It revolved around the definition of an “official act” — something he said Blagojevich’s legal team never contested.
But legal experts said the ruling could affect public corruption probes in the future.
Chief Justice John Roberts said McDonnell’s conduct in accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from a wealthy businessman in exchange for promoting a dietary supplement may have been “distasteful” or even “tawdry,” but didn’t necessarily violate federal bribery laws. He agreed with McDonnell that instructions to his trial jury about what constitutes “official acts” was so broad that it could include virtually any action a public official might take while in office.
Read more: chicago.suntimes.com/politics/ex-virginia-governors-supreme-court-win-no-boon-to-blago/