Snyder v. United States
View Official PDFBelow are plain-language sections to help you understand what the Court decided in Snyder v. United States and why it matters. Quotes are taken from the syllabus (the Court’s short summary at the start of the opinion).
Summary
A short, plain-English overview of Snyder v. United States.
The Supreme Court reviewed the conviction of James Snyder, former mayor of Portage, Indiana, under 18 U.S.C. § 666, which concerns bribery of state and local officials. The Court determined that § 666 is a bribery statute and does not criminalize the acceptance of gratuities. The decision reversed the Seventh Circuit's affirmation of Snyder's conviction, emphasizing the distinction between bribery and gratuities.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in Snyder v. United States.
The Court held that Section 666 is a bribery statute and does not criminalize the acceptance of gratuities by state and local officials.
Constitutional Concepts
These are the Constitution-related themes that appear in Snyder v. United States. Click a concept to see other cases that involve the same idea.
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Why State–Federal Power is relevant to Snyder v. United States
The Court's decision hinges on the interpretation of federalism principles, specifically the balance of power between federal and state governments.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Interpreting § 666 as a gratuities statute would significantly infringe on bedrock federalism principles.
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Why Void for Vagueness is relevant to Snyder v. United States
The Court addresses concerns about the clarity of the statute and the potential for it to create traps for unwary officials.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The Government's interpretation of the statute would create traps for unwary state and local officials.
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Why Preemption is relevant to Snyder v. United States
The Court discusses the potential for federal law to override state regulations, which is a key aspect of preemption.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Reading § 666 to create a federal prohibition on gratuities would suddenly subject 19 million state and local officials to a new and different regulatory regime.
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in Snyder v. United States that support the summary and concepts above.
Section 666 proscribes bribes to state and local officials but does not make it a crime for those officials to accept gratuities for their past acts.
The statutory text strongly suggests that § 666—like § 201(b)—is a bribery statute, not a gratuities statute.
The Government's so-called guidance would leave state and local officials entirely at sea to guess about what gifts they are allowed to accept under federal law.