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Full-Text Articles in Law
Mcdonnell V. United States: Defining “Official Action” In Public Corruption Law, Christopher Murphy
Mcdonnell V. United States: Defining “Official Action” In Public Corruption Law, Christopher Murphy
Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy Sidebar
McDonnell v. United States involved the former Governor of Virginia leveraging the power of his position to help a wealthy constituent gain access to top state decision makers in exchange for valuable gifts and loans. The Government argued that conduct like setting up phone calls and meetings, as well as hosting receptions on behalf of the constituent was sufficient to constitute an “official act” under public corruption laws. Governor McDonnell argued for a narrower interpretation of “official act,” claiming that his conduct was akin to run of the mill things public officials do every day to benefit their constituents. The …
Enforcing The Fcpa: International Resonance And Domestic Strategy, Rachel Brewster
Enforcing The Fcpa: International Resonance And Domestic Strategy, Rachel Brewster
Faculty Scholarship
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), which bans corporations from offering bribes to foreign government officials, was enacted during the Watergate era’s crackdown on political corruption but remained only weakly enforced for its first two decades. American industry argued that the law created an uneven playing field in global commerce, which made robust enforcement politically unpopular. This Article documents how the executive branch strategically under- enforced the FCPA, while Congress and the President pushed for an international agreement that would bind other countries to rules similar to those of the United States. The Article establishes that U.S. officials ramped up …