McDonnell v. United States
United States Supreme Court
136 S. Ct. 2355 (2016)
Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell and his wife (defendants) accepted over $175,000 in gifts and loans from businessman Jonnie Williams, whose company sought Virginia university studies to help secure FDA approval for a dietary supplement. In exchange, the McDonnells arranged meetings between Williams and state officials, hosted mansion events, and contacted other officials to encourage the studies. The government charged the McDonnells with exchanging "official acts" for gifts and loans, and the trial court instructed the jury using a broad definition of "official act" covering essentially anything related to the state's business and economic development. The jury convicted, the Fourth Circuit affirmed, and the Supreme Court granted review to clarify the meaning of "official act."
Whether federal bribery and extortion laws prohibit public officials from accepting money in exchange for making decisions or taking action on matters involving the exercise of governmental power.