Eric Adams's Idiot Lawyer Just Undermined His Own Defense

[erronis]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Emile (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The New Republic

New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s lawyer is trying to get his federal bribery allegations dismissed by arguing that even if the mayor did accept gifts and favors from one Turkish official for years, it didn’t constitute bribery because it happened before Adams was elected mayor.

Alex Spiro, Adams’s attorney with a long list of celebrity clients, argued in a filing Monday that the bribery charge against Adams should be dismissed. He argued that the alleged scheme did not satisfy the definition of bribery because Adams’s agreement to receive free and discounted travel and accommodations from a senior Turkish official was not quid pro quo in exchange for an official act.

Rather, Spiro argued that Adams’s indictment simply alleged that he had “agreed to generally assist with the ‘operation’ or ‘regulation’ of a Turkish consulate building in Manhattan, where he had no authority whatsoever, in exchange for travel benefits.”

Spiro cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in Snyder v. United States in June, which found that it is not illegal under federal anti-bribery law for state and local officials to accept gratuities for acts they have already taken. This decision, which overturned the conviction of a former Indiana mayor, substantially weakened the government’s ability to pursue federal anti-bribery complaints and challenge corruption.

Read more: https://newrepublic.com/post/186518/eric-adams-lawyer-fraud-defense-bribes

---

The Extremes (The current Supreme Court) has unleashed a whole lot of crap into the legal system. Perhaps intentionally, to undermine the Rule Of Law.

[3Hotdogs]

1. Unless I am not understanding, Adam's lawyer is using a Supreme Court recent ruling to argue that Adam's

actions are now permitted. How does this undermine the defense?


Misleading headline?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Article does not support its headline. Does not address that Adams may have no choice but to admit the gifts. . . . . nt

[TommyT139]

3. The "Have My Cake and Eat It, Too" defense?

"It's not bribery, because I got money before I had this job!" (But while he had the Brooklyn borough job?)

and....

"It's not illegal, because the Supreme Corrupts decided that tips aren't taxable, I mean tips aren't bribes - they're not quid pro quo, but rather quo pro quid!"

[Probatim]

4. If he'd have only called it a Tip for a job well done, he'd be ok...

[paleotn]

5. Grasping at every straw he can.

Feds don't move to indict high profile politicians unless they've got them dead to rights. He's trying to soften the blow of something he cannot disprove. "Yea, he did it, but what's wrong with doing it?"

Thanks, SCOTUS, for making bribery legal. All you have to do is Quid after the Pro Quo. And since the majority of SCOTUS members are on various "payrolls", why not?

[Ramsey Barner]

6. So bribes aren't illegal if the politician accepts them either before taking action or after taking action. Gotcha.

[onetexan]

7. Yup

This is the "If a tree falls in the forest & noone hears it, it's not noise" defense 😁

[Marcuse]

8. Assuming, arguendo, that the allegations against my client are true they do not constitute bribery.

[Grins]

9. That damn Supreme Court! Snyder v. United States

This is what "Conservatism," combined with Trumpism manufactures with every case before them.

Snyder v. United States, decided 26 June 2024.
The Supreme Court decided that it is not illegal for state and local officials to accept "gratuities" for acts they have already taken.

"Gratuities." Nice.

Would it be a surprise to anyone that the vote was 6-3? (Again?)
And that Bret Kavanaugh wrote the majority opinion?

Jackson’s dissent:

“Greed makes government - at every level - less responsive, less efficient, and less trustworthy from the perspective of the communities they serve.”

Better? “Greed makes REPUBLICANS less responsive, efficient, and trustworthy."

[red dog 1]

10. We can thank Cadet Bone Spurs for Snyder v. United States

Link to tweet

/photo/1

[red dog 1]

11. We need the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act (SCERTA)

Link to tweet

"Senate Republicans block Supreme Court Ethics bill"
https://nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-gop-blocks-democrats-supreme-court-ethics-bill-rcna156738

[Emile]

12. After an alert and discussion with the hosts, locking.

Statement of Purpose for LBN

Post the latest news from reputable mainstream news websites and blogs. Important news of national interest only. No analysis or opinion pieces. No duplicates. News stories must have been published within the last 12 hours. Use the published title of the story as the title of the discussion thread.