Before the Court in McDonnell v. United States
The Justices Weigh in on the Ex-Governor’s Corruption Conviction
At 10:04 a.m. on April 27, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments for case number 15–474, Robert F. McDonnell v. United States. At 11:04 a.m., arguments concluded and the case was submitted for judgment. Following are excerpts from the arguments of Noel J. Francisco, representing Robert F. McDonnell and U.S. Deputy Solicitor General Michael R. Dreeben. Questions are presented from the eight Supreme Court justices. Argument on Behalf of Robert F. McDonnell A: The government argues that in quid pro quo bribery, “official action” encompasses anything within the range of official duties. In order to reach that conclusion,…
