Supreme Court May Raise Bar for Corruption Prosecutions

By Greg Stohr, Bloomberg News

U.S. Supreme Court justices signaled they will make it harder to prosecute public officials for corruption, suggesting they will overturn former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s bribery conviction.

Hearing the last argument of their 2015-16 term Wednesday, justices from across the ideological spectrum cast doubt on the conviction. The case stems from more than $175,000 in cash and gifts McDonnell and his wife received from businessman Jonnie Williams, who was trying to get a state university to conduct important clinical tests on a dietary supplement.

The question is whether actions McDonnell took on Williams’ behalf ...