Press

PRESS

June 24, 2010

CREW Issues Statement on Supreme Court’s Honest Services Fraud Decision

Amicus Briefs, Supreme Court, Press Releases

Washington, D.C. - Today, in Skilling v. U.S., the Supreme Court invalidated the use of the honest services fraud statute except in cases involving bribery and kickbacks.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) had filed an amicus brief on behalf of the United States in the related case of Black v. U.S. urging the Court to uphold the honest services fraud statute in cases in which the public has been deprived of the intangible right of government officials’ honest services. The Court rejected this argument, finding that such an application of the statute is unconstitutionally vague.

CREW executive director Melanie Sloan said, “Today’s decision deprives prosecutors of an important tool in their efforts to fight public corruption. Previous convictions may be vacated and corrupt officials will have an easier time escaping accountability for their misdeeds.” Sloan continued, “Anticipating this ruling, CREW has been advocating a legislative fix. Federal law currently prohibits executive branch employees from taking any official action that affects their personal financial interest. This statute could easily be extended to cover members of Congress and state and local officials to ensure Americans are protected from government officials who sacrifice the public interest for their own private gain.”

Read the Supreme Court’s decisions in the Black, Skilling and Weyhrauch cases.

Learn more about CREW’s amicus brief in Black v. United States.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions. For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact David Merchant at 202.408.5565 or dmerchant@citizensforethics.org