Brewster v. United States 408 U.S. 501 (1972)

• Author: David Gordon
• Pages: 242

Page 242

A 6?3 Supreme Court held that the SPEECH OR DEBATE CLAUSE does not protect a United States senator from prosecution for accepting a bribe in return for a vote on pending legislation. The clause, said Chief Justice WARREN E. BURGER, only forbids inquiry into legislative acts or the motives behind those acts. Justices WILLIAM J. BRENNAN and WILLIAM O. DOUGLAS attacked the majority's distinction between money-taking and voting and joined Justice BYRON R. WHITE who contended that the only issue was the proper forum for the trial.

DAVID GORDON

(1986)