The Law Office of William Wolf LLC is proud to have contributed to the research and writing of an amicus brief for the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in favor of the Petitioner, Rod Blagojevich. The briefs can be seen here: https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/DocketFiles/html/Public/17-658.html
The briefs focus on 2 questions presented. The first relates to whether, in Hobbs Act campaign finance prosecutions, the government must prove an explicit quid pro quo as described in the U.S. Supreme Court case of McCormick v. United States, or rather an implicit understanding is sufficient (as is true for office holder bribery cases.
The second question regards sentencing hearing procedures. Federal law requires judges, in crafting a sentence, to avoid “unwarranted sentencing disparities”. The judge issued a sentence that was within the range of the United States Sentencing Guidelines, but much, much higher than any other sentenced politician in Blagojevich’s position. The issue is whether the judge, when faced with a sentencing disparity, may respond with silence and a refusal to explain why there is either no disparity, or why such a disparity is not “unwarranted.”
This Law Office is pleased to learn that some members of the media have taken the step of reporting on the brief.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/current-and-former-lawmakers-ask-high-court-to-hear-blagojevich-case-462162803.html?amp=y