 The prosecution of state and local political corruption became a "major federal law enforcement priority" in the 1970s. United States v. Addonizio (3d Cir. 1971) and United States v. Kenny (3d Cir. 1972) — both brought by U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Herbert Jay Stern (later a federal judge) — were the first prosecution of political corruption pursuant to the economic fear prong and the "under color of official right" prong of the Hobbs Act, respectively. Henderson describes these cases as the "New Jersey breakthroughs."
