Action: Snyder v U.S. Makes Bribery Easier
On August 15th, 2024, I sent an email to my city council about Snyder v. U.S. and ensuring local accountability in spite of the Supreme Court Decision.
23-108 Snyder v. United States (06/26/2024)
The Letter
[City Secretary], please forward my message to the full council and mayor and let this corresponce be on some official record. Thank you.
Dear City Council,
I would like to ensure that bribery is illegal for City of [my city] representatives.
In Snyder v United States, the 6-3 majority essentially ruled that large gifts rewarding official acts, where an explicit quid pro quo did not exist, are not bribes under federal law, if my understanding is correct.
The details are beyond my understanding, but it seems that this would create much more ability for public officials to accept corrupt payments as rewards for taxpayer money (contracts).
If the city of [my city] or state of [my state] does not already provide these protections under law, please consider adopting an ordinance to hold all of you and all of your successors accountable to the public for any corrupt gifts you may be offered.
To this point, i believe many gifts above a certain dollar amount (perhaps $50?) should be outright illegal, regardless of circumstances.
If the city or state already have sufficient bribery protections, please briefly inform me what they are.
Further, please have legal staff prepare a report on this matter, to be presented publicly at an upcoming City Council meeting so the public at large can be adequately informed on how this federal decision will impact us locally, if at all.
Decision: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-108_8n5a.pdf
Article (likely liberal bias): https://prospect.org/justice/2024-06-26-supreme-court-blesses-form-bribery-snyder-v-us/
Thank you, [Reed]