The Allied Educational Foundation suffered a setback in its battle against corruption by governmental officials when the Supreme Court threw out the corruption conviction of former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell. McDonnell was convicted of granting political favors to a Richmond businessman in exchange for golf outings, lavish vacations and $120,000 in loans. The conviction was upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, but the Supreme Court agreed with former Governor McDonnell’s argument that the federal statutes penalizing bribery and extortion were unconstituti...

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a decision by the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit that would have permitted private plaintiffs to sue for money damages under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for injuries allegedly suffered abroad. By clarifying that a private Rico plaintiff must be able to allege and prove a domestic injury, the decision in RJR Nabisco, Inc v. The European Community sharply reduces claims brought under RICO for overseas activity that has little or no connection to the United States. The decision marks another victory for the Allied Edu...