No. 25-756

Larry Householder v. United States

Lower Court: Sixth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-12-29
Status: Pending
Type: Paid
Response RequestedResponse Waived
Tags: campaign-finance extortion first-amendment honest-services-fraud political-speech quid-pro-quo
Key Terms:
FirstAmendment Privacy
Latest Conference: 2026-02-20
Related Cases: 25-757 (Vide)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Is McCormick's requirement of a 'quid pro quo' satisfied when a political candidate accepts a political contribution knowing that the donor believes the candidate will take official action because of the contribution?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

The First Amendment’s protection of political speech ensures that a political contribution will not constitute extortion under 18 U.S.C. § 1951 or honest services fraud under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1346 unless the candidate and donor make an “explicit” quid pro quo agreement that an official act is a condition for the acceptance of the contribution. McCormick v. United States , 500 U.S. 257 (1991). The question presented is: Is McCormick’s requirement of a “ quid pro quo ” satisfied when a political candidate accepts a political contribution knowing that the donor believes the candidate will take official action because of the contribution?

Docket Entries

2026-01-23
Response Requested. (Due February 23, 2026)
2026-01-14
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
2026-01-12
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2025-12-22
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 28, 2026)
2025-10-10
Application (25A414) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until December 22, 2025.
2025-10-07
Application (25A414) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from October 23, 2025 to December 22, 2025, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.

Attorneys

Larry Householder
Steven Larry BradleyMarein and Bradley, Petitioner
Steven Larry BradleyMarein and Bradley, Petitioner
Steven Larry BradleyMarein and Bradley, Petitioner
United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent