Michael Mukasey pushes to alter bribery law

[ShockediSay]

Source: Politico

If you represent U.S. businesses and want to scale back an anti-corruption law, what do you do?
Hire the nation’s former top law enforcement official.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has recruited former Attorney General Michael Mukasey to press its case for reining in an American law that bans bribery overseas — and for softening the Obama administration’s aggressive enforcement of it. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act makes it a crime for U.S. companies to pay bribes or offer any “thing of value” to a foreign official to advance the corporation’s interest.

Many advocates for business say enforcement of that law has been too strict, injuring America’s ability to win in a global economy. They also cite lengthy investigations and hefty legal fees over transactions that wouldn’t qualify as traditional bribes, such as giving money to non-government officials, buying dinner for business contacts or even paying for their taxi rides.

Enter Mukasey, a former federal judge whom President George W. Bush brought in to clean up a scandal-tarnished Justice Department in 2007. After leaving the Justice Department, Mukasey returned to New York, joined the firm of Debevoise & Plimpton and began taking on corporate clients, including the Chamber and News Corp.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61671.html

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Former Repug Attorney General, with Chamber of Commerce and News Corp as clients, wants to promote corporate corruption. Why am I not surprised?

[Kingofalldems]

1. I bet the Blue Dogs are also outraged by this law

[Weird Liberal Head]

3. No...

They're probably gonna help push this.

[Kingofalldems]

4. Exactly

[RC]

2. I am more worried about he bribery in this country.

Enforce the laws in this country. Put the lobbyists out of business.

[joeybee12]

5. Makes sense,,,if you want to commit a crime, hire a criminal...knr

[No Elephants]

6. You seem ro be assuming that accepting a bribe is against the law in all foreign countries.

Sometimes the only criminal involved is thee corporation doing the bribing and the only law being violated is U.S. law, namely, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.