Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/23pdf/23-108_8n5a.pdf
Page Number: 35

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

13 

JACKSON, J., dissenting 

sat on the Portage Board of Works and Public Safety, the
entity  that  managed  public  bidding  on  city  contracts. 
Snyder put one of his friends, Randy Reeder, in charge of 
the bidding process, despite Reeder’s lack of experience in 
administering public bids.  Evidence presented at Snyder’s 
trial showed that Reeder tailored bid specifications for two 
different  city  contracts  to  favor  Great  Lakes  Peterbilt,  a 
truck dealership owned by brothers Robert Buha and Ste-
phen Buha.  Evidence also showed that during the bidding 
process, Snyder was in contact with the Buha brothers, but 
no other bidders. 

Snyder had campaigned on a platform that included au-
tomating trash collection, and by December 2012, the city
was looking to buy three garbage trucks.  It issued an invi-
tation to bid on the contract, listing specific requirements
for the trucks.  Reeder testified that he crafted some speci-
fications, including delivery within 150 days, knowing they 
would  favor  Great  Lakes  Peterbilt.    The  board  of  works 
voted  to  award  Great  Lakes  Peterbilt  the  contract.    Evi-
dence at trial showed that the city could have saved about
$60,000 had it not prioritized expedited delivery.

In January 2013, the manager of Great Lakes Peterbilt 
asked Reeder whether the city might want to buy another
truck—an unused, 2012 model that had been sitting outside 
on the dealership’s lot over two winters.  Snyder first tried 
to  buy  the  truck  outright,  but  Portage’s  city  attorney  in-
formed him he had to go through the public bidding process.
So  the  board  of  works  issued  another  invitation  to  bid  in 
November 2013.  This invitation sought two more garbage 
trucks.  Reeder again tweaked certain specifications to fa-
vor  Great  Lakes  Peterbilt—this  time  to  help  it  move  the  
older truck sitting on its lot.  The board of works voted to 
award  Great  Lakes  Peterbilt  this  contract  too.  Together,
the two contracts that Great Lakes Peterbilt “won” totaled 
some $1.125 million. 

Shortly  after  the  second  contract  was  awarded,  Snyder