Revisiting a Verdict or Two

This is verrry interesting. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of the Conrad Black case, the former owner of the Sun Times:

It's the underlying issue in the case that has the potential to undo some of the biggest cases in Illinois while changing the tenor of future prosecutions.
By reviewing the Black case, the Supreme Court will weigh the so-called "honest services" statute, a law long embraced by Chicago prosecutors and long blasted by defense attorneys as too broad.

"If they were to overturn honest services, [former Gov. George] Ryan is one whose conviction would be suspect," said one of Black's lawyers, Marc Martin. Martin said the statute is so ill-defined it essentially: "allows the prosecution to make up the offense after the fact."

Ryan was also convicted on other charges. And Blago's on tape so presumably he will be hit with very specific charges.

While we don't want to let pols off the hook for engaging in corruption, it doesn't serve us if the courts are used as political sledgehammers. The best accountability is at the ballot box, and that is up to us all. Know your legislators, keep them honest.

As for Black, he's a private individual, not a politician. No matter how wealthy you are initially, if the government decides to go after you, you are vulnerable. Consider how tilted the playing field can be if you lack the resources to fight. This has implications for all of us--especially when the government is using our money.