The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down part of a federal anti-corruption law that makes it a crime for state and local officials to take gifts valued at more than $5,000 from a donor who had previously been awarded lucrative contracts or other government benefits thanks to the efforts of the official.

By a 6-3 vote, the justices overturned the conviction of a former Indiana mayor who asked for and took a $13,000 payment from the owners of a local truck dealership after he helped them win $1.1 million in city contracts for the purchase of garbage trucks.

In ruling for the former mayor, the justices drew a distinction between bribery, which requires proof of an illegal deal, and a gratuity that can be a gift or a reward for a past favor. They said the officials may be charged and prosecuted for bribery, but not for taking money for past favors if there was no proof of an illicit deal.

  • Oisteink@feddit.nl
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    5 months ago

    We will thank you for inventing hip hop, but both the japanese and the british have better hip hop than your pop hop these days

    • Revan343
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      5 months ago

      What would you consider good modern hip hop?

        • Revan343
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          5 months ago

          Okay, I walked into that one, but I was hoping you’d suggest a specific song or band :P

          For reference my favourite band is Flobots; if it’s not political hip hop, it’s not good hip hop

          • Oisteink@feddit.nl
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            5 months ago

            Tbh i was just trying to bluff and sound like a hip hop connoisseur. Sorry for giving you false hope, but i will listen to your favourite to try and broaden my knowledge. I do like both british stret accent and the japanese are just cute. I listen mostly to pre2k hiphop from us when I do listen to hiphop

            Not because its the best, but because im that old

            • Revan343
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              5 months ago

              In that case, my favourite song is Good Soldier, but my favourite album is Fight With Tools, the whole thing is fantastic. Both by Flobots; the only song you may have heard if you aren’t already a fan is Handlebars

              • Oisteink@feddit.nl
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                5 months ago

                Nice addition to my regular “daily discoveries “ from tidal. I will check them out tomorrow (im in europe and should sleep now).

                I listen through the discoveries every day on my commute to work, and Im quite sure AI is overrated as 70% is shit.

    • Psychodelic@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      I was referring moreso to the cultural impact. (Though from your later replies I think you’re just making a joke I’m not getting)

      When I think of things I respect about the US and the positive impact its had, I tend to think of how most governments at the time (50s-70s and 70s-90s) seemed to be cracking down on personal free expression (granted that was happening in the US for nonwhite people) and yet Americans (specifically those in counter-culture movements) were able to resist and come out on top. Hell, I’d even throw in comic book creators as having made their mark on moving the needle towards free expression despite loud criticism from conservative mobs.