Tamela M. Lee v. United States
JusticiabilityDoctri
Can a county official be convicted of Honest Services and Hobbs Act violations for contacting federal and municipal officials on behalf of constituents without allegations of pressure or advice?
Question Presented After McDonnell v. United States, 136 S. Ct. 2355, 2372 (2016), can a county official constitutionally be convicted of Honest Services and Hobbs Act violations merely for agreeing to contact, and contacting, officials at the federal and municipal levels of government on behalf of constituents, without any allegations in the indictment or proof at trial that the official either G) promised to pressure, had the ability to pressure, or did pressure those officials or (ii) promised to advise, was in a position to advise, or did advise those officials with the expectation that the advice be followed? ii A List of All Directly Related Trial and Appellate Proceedings 1. This case arises out of trial proceedings in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division: United States of America v. Tamela M. Lee, Case No. 1:15CR445. The Judgment was entered on August 7, 2017 (App. 31a). 2. The judgment in the district court case was appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit: United States of America v. Tamela M. Lee, No. 17-3868. Judgment was entered in this appeal on March 18, 2019 (App. 30a).