Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/23pdf/23-108_8n5a.pdf
Page Number: 9.0

Cite as:  603 U. S. ____ (2024) 

5 

Opinion of the Court 

1986,  Congress  amended  §666  and  thereby  avoided  the 
law’s  “possible  application  to  acceptable  commercial  and 
business practices.”  H. R. Rep. No. 99–797, p. 30 (1986); see 
100 Stat. 3612–3613.  As a result of its amendment in 1986, 
the  text  of  §666  for  state  and  local  officials  now  closely 
resembles the bribery provision for federal officials, §201(b),
rather  than  the  gratuities  provision  for  federal  officials, 
§201(c).  As relevant here, §666 makes it a crime for most
state  and  local  officials  to  “corruptly”  solicit,  accept,  or
agree  to  accept  “anything  of  value”  “intending  to  be 
influenced  or  rewarded  in  connection  with”  any  official
business 
or  more. 
§§666(a)(1)(B), (b).  That crime carries a 10-year maximum 
prison sentence.  §666(a). 

transaction  worth  $5,000 

or 

C 
This case involves the former mayor of Portage, Indiana.
Portage is a city in northwest Indiana with a population of
about 38,000. 

Like  other  States, 

criminalizes  bribery
Indiana 
committed by state and local officials.  See Ind. Code §35– 
  Indiana  also  prescribes  civil 
44.1–1–2(a)(2)  (2023).
penalties  such  as  fines,  reprimands,  and  disqualification 
from state employment if state officials accept gratuities in
violation of the State’s Code of Ethics.  See Ind. Code §4–2–
6–12 (2021); 42 Ind. Admin. Code §1–5–1 (2024).

But  Indiana  does  not  impose  general  criminal  or  civil 
prohibitions on local officials who accept gratuities, leaving 
such  regulation  to  the  local  governments  themselves.  As 
relevant  here,  the  City  of  Portage  sets  limits  on  the  gifts
that  local  officials  can  accept  from  contractors  doing
business with the City.  See Portage, Ind., Municipal Code
of Ordinances §§2–178(e)–(f) (2024). 

In 2013, the City of Portage awarded two contracts to a
local  truck  company,  Great  Lakes  Peterbilt,  to  purchase 
trash trucks.  In total, the City paid about $1.1 million for