Publication Detail: The Honest Services Statute: When Federal Righteousness Goes Off The Rails

Publication Detail: The Honest Services Statute: When Federal Righteousness Goes Off The Rails: In recent years, federal prosecutors have been aggressively using the so-called "honest services" statute to accuse local politicians and corporate CEOs of criminal wrongdoing. The U.S. Attorney in Chicago, Patrick Fitzgerald, has garnered much attention, for example, as a result of his effort to crack down on corruption in the Windy City. Scores of federal cases are being brought against local officials around the country. Since no one believes that corruption is desirable, the federal attorneys have been able to deflect scrutiny of their methods by focusing attention on the shady actions of their targets.?