Public officials, lobbyists, city employees, and elected officials are all favorite targets of prosecutors and regulators. The United States Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Skilling has done little to clarify the boundries of the widespread use of the so-called “honest goods and services” theory of fraud to prosecute public corruption cases. State and federal prosecutors actively police the political process and the provision of services in areas such as the construction industry, building inspection, crane operation, sanitation, and a host of other areas.
Often the law enforcement focus is upon bribery payments or the demand for kickbacks. However, investigations have focused upon providing tickets to sporting events, paying for lunch and dinner, or any other gift or activity which one day is innocent and the next minute deemed to be a criminal act by a local prosecutor seeking publicity. Lobbying efforts have been criminally prosecuted as well as fraud cases of many types involving judges, politicans, union leaders, voting fraud, and illegal campaign finance, to name just a few. Official corruption cases call the conduct of respected and often elected public servants into question. Extraordinary sensitivity is required in the representation of such cases. Charles A. Ross & Associates is well versed in these complex matters.
