Supreme Court Overturns Bribery Conviction of Former Mayor James Snyder, Limits Anti-Corruption Laws

The U.S. Supreme Court vacated the bribery conviction of former Portage, Indiana mayor James Snyder in a 6-3 ruling, narrowing the scope of federal anti-corruption laws. Snyder had been convicted of accepting $13,000 from a trucking company after awarding it $1.1 million in city contracts, but the court found the federal bribery statute applies only to bribes given before an official act, not gratuities given afterward. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, argued that federal law should not criminalize gratuities accepted by state and local officials unless they are tied to a prior agreement. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, in her dissent, warned that the ruling undermines public trust and allows officials to exploit their positions for personal gain. The decision reflects the court's ongoing trend of limiting the reach of federal corruption laws, as seen in previous cases. Snyder maintains that the payment was for legitimate consulting work.