WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court overturned the bribery conviction of a former Indiana mayor on Wednesday, the latest in a series of decisions narrowing the scope of federal public corruption law.
The high court's 6-3 opinion along ideological lines found the law criminalizes bribes given before an official act, not rewards handed out after.
“Some gratuities can be problematic. Others are commonplace and might be innocuous,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote. The lines aren't always clear, especially since many state and local officials have other jobs, he said.
The high court sided with James Snyder, a Republican who was convicted of taking $13,000 from a trucking company after prosecutors said he steered about $1 million worth of city contracts to the company.
In a sharply worded dissent joined by her liberal colleagues, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the distinction between bribes and gratuities ignores the wording of the law aimed at rooting out public corruption.
“Snyder's absurd and atextual reading of the statute is one that only today's court could love,” she wrote.
The decision continues a pattern in recent years of the court restricting the government’s ability to use broad federal laws to prosecute public corruption cases. The justices also overturned the bribery conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell in 2016 and sharply curbed prosecutors’ use of an anti-fraud law in the case of ex-Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling in 2010.
The decision also comes as the Supreme Court itself has faced sustained criticism over undisclosed trips and gifts from wealthy benefactors to some justices that led the high court to adopt its first code of ethics, though it lacks an enforcement mechanism.
Snyder was elected mayor of Portage, a small Indiana city near Lake Michigan, in 2011 and was removed from office when he was first convicted in 2019. He has maintained his innocence, saying the money he received was payment for consulting work. His attorneys said that prosecutors hadn’t proved there was a “quid pro quo” exchange agreement before the contracts were awarded.
The Justice Department countered that the law was clearly meant to cover gifts “corruptly” given to public officials as rewards for favored treatment.
Kavanaugh, writing for the high court majority, disagreed, finding that interpretation would "create traps for unwary state and local officials" and would “subject 19 million public officials to a new regulatory regime," though he said a gratuity could be unethical or illegal under other laws.
Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.
FILE - Tourists visit the Supreme Court, Tuesday, June 25, 2024, in Washington. The Supreme Court has overturned the bribery conviction of a former Indiana mayor in an opinion that narrows the scope of public corruption law. The high court on Wednesday sided with James Snyder, who was convicted of taking $13,000 from a trucking company after prosecutors said he steered about $1 million worth of city contracts their way. Snyder has maintained his innocence, saying the money was payment for consulting work. Snyder is a Republican. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - Former Portage, Ind., Mayor James Snyder arrives to Federal Court in Hammond, Ind., for his sentencing on bribery and tax violation charges, Oct. 13, 2021. The Supreme Court has overturned the bribery conviction of the former Indiana mayor in an opinion that narrows the scope of public corruption law. The high court on Wednesday sided with Snyder, who was convicted of taking $13,000 from a trucking company after prosecutors said he steered about $1 million worth of city contracts their way. Snyder has maintained his innocence, saying the money was payment for consulting work. (Kyle Telechan/Chicago Tribune via AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Paul Skenes pitched two perfect innings in his Yankee Stadium debut and the Pittsburgh Pirates hit five homers, including four off rookie Luis Gil, in a 9-4 win Saturday,
New York (93-68) later clinched home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs when Cleveland (92-69) lost to Houston. The Yankees won the season series against the Guardians and hold the tiebreaker.
Yasmani Grandal and Nick Gonzales hit solo homers in the first four innings off Gil (15-7). Rookie Billy Cook in the fifth and Jared Triolo in the sixth added two-run drives. Nick Yorke hit a two-run homer in the ninth against Will Warren.
New York has lost four of five and opens the AL Division Series at home Oct. 5.
Aaron Judge followed his third game off this season with his third five-strikeout game, his first since May 5, 2021.
In front of 46,069, New York’s 17th home sellout, Skenes threw 23 pitches to six hitters. He threw four over 100 mph, including three to Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.
“He was outstanding,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “We knew it was going to be a shorter start. This is a really tough lineup and he executed pitches throughout the first six hitters.”
With girlfriend and LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne in the stands, Skenes threw a 99.8 mph fastball on the high, outside corner that Soto took for a called third strike. Judge struck out swinging at a sweeper that was outside.
A top contender for NL Rookie of the Year, the 22-year-old right-hander finished 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts and 133 innings — 29 innings shy of qualifying for the National League ERA title. He struck out 170 and walked 32.
“It was cool definitely glad to be able to finish the season,” Skenes said. “Cool to do it here, cool to do it against this lineup.”
Skenes is the first rookie pitcher with a sub-2.00 ERA and at least 23 starts in a season since Scott Perry for the 1918 Philadelphia Athletics, according to STATS,
“I wish I saw some more pitches,” Yankees catcher Austin Wells said. “He looked good out there and got six outs and that’s all I really saw.”
Gil allowed six runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings, finishing with a 3.50 ERA. He had only allowed 14 homers in his first 28 starts.
“He’s had a great year,” Wells said. “Being a rookie starting pitcher for the Yankees and putting up what he did, he’s been amazing.”
Gonzales homered for the second straight game, a drive after his bat slipped away taking a practice swing in the on-deck circle. Yorke clanged his second career homer off the left-field foul pole.
“The guy that started for them is probably going to be the Rookie of the Year in the American League and is a special young arm, special pitcher and the fact that we had good at-bats and was able to grind, I was really proud of our group,” Shelton said.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. broke up Pittsburgh’s no-hit bid in the fifth with his 11th homer since being acquired from the Marlins on July 27 and then added an RBI double in the eighth. Soto hit an RBI single but ended the seventh by overrunning second base.
Mike Burrows (1-0), who underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow April 26, 2023, followed Skenes and threw 68 pitches over 3 1/3 innings to win in his major league debut. David Bednar struck out Chisholm to strand the bases loaded in the sixth.
Former Yankee Aroldis Chapman struck out Judge and retired Wells with the bases loaded for his 14th save in 19 chances.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: 1B Anthony Rizzo fractured the fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand when he was hit by RHP Ryan Borucki’s 88.2 mph slider in the seventh. Rizzo was replaced by INF Oswaldo Cabrera starting the eighth. Rizzo’s postseason status is uncertain.
UP NEXT
LHP Bailey Falter (8-9, 4.26) closes the regular season for the Pirates. RHP Clarke Schmidt (5-5, 2.55), a candidate for New York’s postseason rotation, makes his fifth start since returning a strained lat that sidelined him for more than three months.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates' Aroldis Chapman pitches during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in New York. The Pirates won 9-4. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge reacts after striking out during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells watches as Pittsburgh Pirates' Yasmani Grandal hits an RBI single during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Nick Yorke (38) celebrates with Yasmani Grandal (6) after they scored on a two-run home run by Yorke during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes smiles after the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
