In its McDonnell v. United States decision, a unanimous Supreme Court affirmed states’ right to regulate ” permissible scope of interactions between state officials and their constituents.” It is not the federal government’s role, according to the Court, to set standards of “good government for local and state officials.”
Gift rules that are riddled with loopholes and exceptions contribute to the perception—and sometimes the reality—of corruption. Whenever individuals, businesses, and organizations give gifts to elected officials, we should ask why. Read more