High court to take up corruption law

The Washington Post reports:

The Supreme Court this week will consider whether to apply the brakes to what critics have called a vague and limitless law that has proved essential to federal prosecutors going after corrupt politicians and greedy corporate executives.

The court has taken the unusual step of accepting three cases that raise challenges to a federal anti-fraud provision that has been key to the prosecutions of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, former Illinois governor George Ryan (R) and executives involved in the collapse of Enron. The government is counting on using the provision to try to convict another former Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich (D), of trying to auction off the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by President Obama.