Snyder v. United States

James E. Snyder, former mayor of Portage, Indiana, was convicted under 18 U.S.C. §666 for accepting $13,000 from a trucking company after the city awarded it contracts. The Supreme Court reviewed whether Section 666 criminalizes gratuities given after an official act, or only bribes agreed to before the act. In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Kavanaugh, the Court held that the statute does not criminalize gratuities, emphasizing its text, structure, and legislative history. The Court reversed Snyder's conviction, concluding that Section 666 targets corrupt agreements made before an official action, not after-the-fact rewards.

The Supreme Court reversed Snyder's conviction in a 6-3 vote, holding that Section 666 does not criminalize gratuities. The case was remanded for further proceedings consistent with the opinion.

Whether 18 U.S.C. §666(a)(1)(B) makes it a federal crime for a state or local official to accept a gratuity after an official act, or whether the law applies only to bribes agreed to before the act.

The ruling significantly narrows the reach of federal anti-corruption law over state and local officials, drawing criticism that it leaves a gap in prosecuting post-award rewards. It may prompt Congress to amend the statute or push states to strengthen their own ethics and bribery laws.