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Supreme Court sympathetic to former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell
Source: CNN
Supreme Court sympathetic to former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell
By Ariane de Vogue, CNN Supreme Court Reporter
Updated 1728 GMT (0028 HKT) April 27, 2016
Washington (CNN) - Several Supreme Court justices seemed sympathetic to arguments made Wednesday by lawyers for former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, once a rising star in Republican politics who fell from grace after a conviction on public corruption charges.
Justices questioned the scope of federal laws prosecutors used to convict McDonnell and their impact in other contexts and cases, and struggled with the line public officials must cross before committing an "official act" that could trigger corruption statutes.
Chief Justice John Roberts pointed out that former White House counsels on both sides of the aisle are concerned with how the lower court ruled, calling their brief in support of the former governor "extraordinary."
Justice Stephen Breyer was the most vigorous questioner of the government, concerned that the Justice Department could wield "enormous power" and could be "overzealous" over elected officials. And Justice Elena Kagan pressed for a line between exercising influence and simply arranging meetings.
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By Ariane de Vogue, CNN Supreme Court Reporter
Updated 1728 GMT (0028 HKT) April 27, 2016
Washington (CNN) - Several Supreme Court justices seemed sympathetic to arguments made Wednesday by lawyers for former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, once a rising star in Republican politics who fell from grace after a conviction on public corruption charges.
Justices questioned the scope of federal laws prosecutors used to convict McDonnell and their impact in other contexts and cases, and struggled with the line public officials must cross before committing an "official act" that could trigger corruption statutes.
Chief Justice John Roberts pointed out that former White House counsels on both sides of the aisle are concerned with how the lower court ruled, calling their brief in support of the former governor "extraordinary."
Justice Stephen Breyer was the most vigorous questioner of the government, concerned that the Justice Department could wield "enormous power" and could be "overzealous" over elected officials. And Justice Elena Kagan pressed for a line between exercising influence and simply arranging meetings.
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Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/04/27/politics/supreme-court-bob-mcdonnell/
