United States Senator Robert Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, is on trial on federal corruption charges in Newark. Recent court rulings overturning the convictions of former New York legislative leaders Dean G. Skelos and Sheldon Silver could play a role in Mr. Menendez’s case.CreditBryan Anselm for The New York Times

Nick Corasaniti reports for The New York Times:

NEWARK — They were two of the most notable corruption convictions in recent political history, two entrenched New York power brokers seemingly brought to justice, their cases reverberating well beyond the wood-paneled walls of the Statehouse in Albany.

And in a span of less than three months, both convictions were overturned.

The legal turn of events in the cases against Sheldon Silver and Dean G. Skelos, the two former New York State legislative leaders, is almost certain to resonate in another corruption case unfolding just across the Hudson River in the federal courthouse here where the defendant is United States Senator Robert Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey.

What has given Mr. Silver and Mr. Skelos a reprieve was the ruling last year by the United States Supreme Court overturning the conviction of the former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell. In its unanimous decision, the court severely narrowed the definition of the kinds of official acts a politician must perform to be considered as having partaken in an illegal quid pro quo.

Making phone calls, arranging meetings or offering support on an issue no longer qualified as an “official act” as defined by the court. Instead, an act had to be more directly tied to an elected official’s office, such as offering a government contract or writing legislation.

In all three cases, the indictments were filed before the Supreme Court ruled in the McDonnell case and Mr. Skelos and Mr. Silver were convicted before the Supreme Court ruled.

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