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[-] Lester_Peterson@hexbear.net 78 points 2 years ago

The ruling is hilarious. An Indiana mayor awarded a $1.1 million dollar contract to a truck dealership, then went to the dealership afterwards and said "I need money." He asked for $15k in cash, and was given $13k.

According to the SCOTUS this is not bribery because a bribe is an award for pre-agreed actions that is quid pro quo, and maybe the dealer just happened to feel generous to the person responsible for awarding them a lucrative contract after the fact. Only money in burlap sacks with dollar bills on them, with a person handing it over with a contract saying "this is a bribe" count as a bribe. Anything else is just a sparkling gratuity.

[-] hexaflexagonbear@hexbear.net 19 points 2 years ago

At least this will make for a good 5-4 and ALAB episode

[-] regul@hexbear.net 18 points 2 years ago

BOB MENENDEZ INNOCENT

[-] FnordPrefect@hexbear.net 51 points 2 years ago

lol, maybe using "strongly rooted in our history and culture" is not really the best metric for determining legality thonk-cri

[-] DragonBallZinn@hexbear.net 5 points 2 years ago

I'll give them this: anti-meritocracy and corruption is very much in line with Amerikkkan culture. EVERYTHING in this stupid country is a goddamn good 'ol boys club.

[-] Owl@hexbear.net 51 points 2 years ago

This is a massive blow to the bribe laundering industry.

[-] blobjim@hexbear.net 10 points 2 years ago

Looks like the bribe laundering industry lobbyists didn't give the right people enough perfectly legal gifts.

[-] SpiderFarmer@hexbear.net 7 points 2 years ago

Someone's favorite pizza joint is about to go under.

[-] nat_turner_overdrive@hexbear.net 47 points 2 years ago

There's two ways to stop corruption: one involves identifying corrupt officials and punishing them. The enlightened, neoliberal solution is to simply make the law say it's legal to be corrupt. galaxy-brain

[-] Cochise@lemmy.eco.br 45 points 2 years ago
[-] EmoThugInMyPhase@hexbear.net 37 points 2 years ago

Vietnam and China are red fash for executing people who steal the wealth of citizens. You see, under a real democracy, true freedom is simply complaining about problem. Actually enforcing rules is reserved for the poor, otherwise it’s authoritarianism.

[-] GrouchyGrouse@hexbear.net 45 points 2 years ago

Real "it's only bribery if it's from the Bribery Coast region" hours

[-] adultswim_antifa@hexbear.net 34 points 2 years ago

I can't believe how pissed off this stuff still makes me. They're morons that dress up in black robes so people will take their arbitrary pronouncements seriously.

[-] Findom_DeLuise@hexbear.net 13 points 2 years ago

ruthkanda-forever Girlbossing in my dissent collar down in hell with Thatcher

[-] InevitableSwing@hexbear.net 34 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Soon the only way somebody can be prosecuted for bribery in the US is if they do this in public and there's a photo or video.

---

Edit

Hexbear hosted images are fucky.

https://i.imgur.com/GagIGXJ.jpeg

[-] plinky@hexbear.net 20 points 2 years ago

no, you need also written and signed statement that in exchange for goods and services provided you will do x.

this is just campaign contribution already

[-] Red_Eclipse@hexbear.net 31 points 2 years ago
[-] context@hexbear.net 28 points 2 years ago

“The question in this case is whether [the federal law] also makes it a crime for state and local officials to accept gratuities — for example, gift cards, lunches, plaques, books, framed photos or the like — that may be given as a token of appreciation after the official act. The answer is no,” said Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, writing for the majority.

Despite his reference to token gifts such as lunches and framed photos, the federal law was triggered only by payments of more than $5,000.

yeah, or the like here means a 1.2% finder's fee on a million dollar contract explicitly solicited by a city mayor, but it happened after the contract was already awarded, so that's just the cost of doing business, i guess

[-] Sickos@hexbear.net 22 points 2 years ago

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA

HAHAHHAHAH AHAHHAHHAHAHAHHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAH

[-] VILenin@hexbear.net 22 points 2 years ago

Wait does this mean I can start bribing my local corrupt officials and it’s ok if I just pay them afterwards? Cool!

[-] Des@hexbear.net 19 points 2 years ago

this is the bribery equivilant of "im going to put the drugs on the hood of the car, turn my head away"

"im going to put my money on the hood, turn my head away"

oh look both things are gone now, we go in separate directions

[-] WIIHAPPYFEW@hexbear.net 18 points 2 years ago

doomjak civil code pls

[-] lemmyseizethemeans@lemmygrad.ml 17 points 2 years ago

The best democracy money can buy. Vote blue no matter who.

[-] came_apart_at_Kmart@hexbear.net 16 points 2 years ago

kick forwards: no
kick backs: yes

[-] plinky@hexbear.net 15 points 2 years ago
[-] TheWurstman@hexbear.net 15 points 2 years ago
[-] Barx@hexbear.net 15 points 2 years ago
[-] Caduceus@hexbear.net 14 points 2 years ago

We have investigated ourselves and found no wrongdoing.

[-] hexaflexagonbear@hexbear.net 9 points 2 years ago
[-] take_five_seconds@hexbear.net 8 points 2 years ago

On the face of it, this seems ridiculous, but consider, a Supreme Court judge has been accepting large gifts from a man who had brought cases in front of the court, and that couldn't possibly be bribery.

[-] EmoThugInMyPhase@hexbear.net 8 points 2 years ago

These assholes get paid more than me and even if they don’t, they have power. They don’t deserve gifts unless it’s a $2 hotdog gifted by some local business during a trip.

this post was submitted on 26 Jun 2024
158 points (99.4% liked)

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