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Peter@notalawyer.bsky.social |
the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence on corruption is basically at a point where the only thing that counts as a bribe is someone handing a public official a giant bag of money with a dollar sign on it while saying “this is a bribe” out loud
52 replies 302 reposts 1469 likes
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@regalpastry.bsky.social
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in an alternate, future timeline, bribes to officials and politicians will just be tax-free tips.
0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes
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Gay Wizard
@gaywizard.bsky.social
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Actually I believe they have held that saying “this is a bribe” out loud is fine as long as it isn’t written down anywhere.
0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes
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Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Reply Guy
@elandobbs.bsky.social
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0 replies 1 reposts 15 likes
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Buchman
@buchman.bsky.social
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Only if it's being done at the exact moment of voting.
0 replies 0 reposts 5 likes
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Jo_clever_ke
@insidejoke.bsky.social
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I think you'd also need to be explicitly clear on the intent of the bribe.
0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes
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pophouse
@pophouse.bsky.social
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Smiles [in bob menendez]
0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes
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bobby (frociaggine)
@bobbylewis.bsky.social
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well “this” could refer to anything really
0 replies 0 reposts 5 likes
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Josh Rosenau
@joshrosenau.bsky.social
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But only if it’s *before* they do the thing they’re being bribed to do.
0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes
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@boredompeejeterson.bsky.social
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Only if you write them a receit and they wanna get it deduced from their taxes
0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes
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Susan
@skeletonsharp.bsky.social
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Remembering when I lost sleep over accepting $4 worth of tacos from a county official...
1 replies 0 reposts 4 likes
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Squire Boone
@isomorphism.net
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Now, now, Peter... that's obviously a case of satire, we can tell, because the guy saying it is a Republican.
0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes
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DodgerFanLA
@dodgerfanla.bsky.social
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The constitution says I can petition my government for a redress of my grievances. I just do that by handing them cash!
1 replies 0 reposts 8 likes
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Confirmed Professional Agitator
@mumbly-joe.bsky.social
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Worse than that because that is more or less exactly what happened in this case tho
1 replies 0 reposts 1 likes
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Neil Stenhouse
@nstenhouse.bsky.social
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Yes it’s the Simon Says standard. If you didn’t say Simon Says do crimes and I’ll give you stuff, it doesn’t count
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Dag.
@3fecta.bsky.social
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Bribe? Clearly it was "To blave".
0 replies 0 reposts 19 likes
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SatelliteOfLove
@sattelliteoflove.bsky.social
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This is one of those things where vast throngs of low-info people about 5 years hence will realize "oh, the GOP turned into a mafia" but give no props to those of us pointing this out now.
0 replies 1 reposts 1 likes
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BRAK AND BLUE
@yinkadoubledare.bsky.social
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And then the public official actually has to do the thing the bribe was for and say "I did this because of the bribe" or it still doesnt count
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Nathan Hobbs
@norm1142.bsky.social
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This tracks with conservative beliefs on racism, which is that nothing is racist unless the n-word is used
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ricky cilantro
@rickycilantro.bsky.social
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0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes
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Carl Wilhoyte
@carlwilhoyte.bsky.social
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SCOTUS securing the bag for themselves. Other than impeachment, retirement, or dying off, I really don't know what you do about such a corrupt organization that decides what the law is.
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Ryan Cavanaugh
@searyanc.dev
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Still legal as long as you give them the bag _after_ the papers are signed
2 replies 0 reposts 28 likes
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Sean Eric Fagan
@kithrup.bsky.social
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*Before* the action. *After* the action it is simply a tip.
0 replies 0 reposts 5 likes
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Max Moran
@maxmoranhi.bsky.social
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Please, Peter, handing your friend a giant bag of money with a dollar sign on it while saying "this is a bribe" is a completely normal thing friends do for each other. We shouldn't assume corrupt intent just because of the facts, the context, and the corrupt intent
0 replies 0 reposts 30 likes
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vek
@vekzero.bsky.social
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Ummm I think that’s just a gift with a bit of politically incorrect humor actually libtard
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Klep
@klep.bsky.social
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That's not enough. The public official also has to be saying "I am accepting this bribe in exchange for performing official acts which I otherwise would not have performed."
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EroticGent
@eroticgent.bsky.social
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They’d still deny it. It was ai
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DJ Mauri
@djmauri007.bsky.social
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But your honor when I said this verbatim I was just being totes silly! "Understandable, you're free to go"
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Eli Sarver
@lowmagnet.bsky.social
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Milburn Pennybags best watch out.
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Bill Stewart
@billstewart.bsky.social
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Hey, we can at least send Judges Jackson, Kagan, and Sotomayor a $1 gratuity thanking them for writing an excellent opinion.
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Dan of La Mancha
@knitdan.bsky.social
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I’m old enough to remember -Obama- calling this out in a SoTU address, which is what so deeply offended Alito because how dare he violate decorum like that by telling the truth.
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Codhisattva
@codhisattva.bsky.social
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“Is this a bribe? Yes, Ok tell me how to vote and my criminal mind that intends to be bribed will do as you say.”
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Ceejopolis
@saysceej.bsky.social
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And only if they do it BEFORE the public official acts.
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Ed Burmila
@edburmila.bsky.social
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So, what Rod Blagojevich did, is what you're saying.
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Dr. Jimbosaur, Esq.
@jimbosaur.bsky.social
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Obviously, the person receiving the bag of money with a dollar sign on it would have to say "I am accepting this corruptly, understanding that it is a bribe which will influence my official decisionmaking" or how can we possibly be sure there was the necessary mens rea?
1 replies 0 reposts 25 likes
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orac
@orac.bsky.social
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Maybe now someone can bribe Dick Durbin to finally hold some hearing on the corruption of the Supreme Court.
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Gregory Hays
@aristofontes.bsky.social
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and even then
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Ron Cox
@monkyhead.bsky.social
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on camera, onstage in a crowded stadium
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Kevin
@kevinfoy.bsky.social
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While twirling their mustache and chuckling menacingly
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Matt
@segm09.bsky.social
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And only if it happens *before* you take the desired action
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K. H. I.
@sheridesabike.bsky.social
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Probably only if that official is not MAGA tho
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'Swas
@sbeen.bsky.social
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Doesn't this ruling actually say it is not enough, because didn't this happen in the McDonnell case? Unless you mean the dollar sign is a critical element of the crime.
0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes
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𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑠
@petestaiano.com
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Even then they could go with the “it was an elaborate joke” defense
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Allan Schumacher
@allanshoe.bsky.social
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Depending on the timing I think they'd still be open to inferring it's a gift.
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The Silvered Spherical Ideal Median Voter
@swolecialism.bsky.social
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Nah, they have to specify exactly what acts they're buying with a bribe. Otherwise it could be a harmless metaphor or bit of japery
3 replies 1 reposts 89 likes
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Anti-Capitalist Podcast Network 🌹
@anticappodnetwork.bsky.social
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Corrupt court sided with corruption…shocker
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Uncle Waffles
@unclewaffles.bsky.social
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Come on, that's not true. When a republican gets caught doing just that, they'll twist another logic pretzel to legalize that kind of corruption.
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Paul
@cohn17.bsky.social
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Anyone who thinks this Court cares about its legacy has the wrong legacy in mind.
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Jay Schiavone
@jaytingle.bsky.social
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Not so! "This is a bribe" is protected speech.
0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes
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Professor Furious
@professorfurious.bsky.social
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Peter, I'm afraid you're missing a couple of key components of the test. The briber has to say something like: "Here is a bag of money IN ADVANCE in payment for this exact thing I would like you to do in your capacity as a public official, and I am saying this for the public record."
1 replies 0 reposts 6 likes
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Julia S.
@booktweeting.bsky.social
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why do you hate free speech? money is speech, money is the best speech that’s why we say “money talks”
1 replies 0 reposts 4 likes
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Orcish Law
@orcishlaw.bsky.social
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I can't wait for the inevitable crossover with qualified immunity, where a cop gets qi for taking a "gratuity" because the law is no longer clearly established.
0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes
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Peter
@notalawyer.bsky.social
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it’s not just that, e.g., Clarence Thomas loves to be bribed. the conservatives really believe that spoils rightfully accrue to the powerful, and that exchanges of money and power are a natural and just part of politics
10 replies 85 reposts 631 likes