Afternoon Briefing: Supreme Court has tough questions over bribery prosecutions

Good afternoon, Chicago.

A government attorney faced tough questioning today from U.S. Supreme Court justices over concerns that the federal bribery statute often used to prosecute public officials, including a former Indiana mayor, is vague and potentially criminalizes innocuous gift-giving by people from all walks of life.

The oral arguments came in a case involving James Snyder, the former mayor of Portage, Indiana, who was convicted of taking a $13,000 “consulting” fee from a garbage truck contractor that had recently won two lucrative contracts with the town.

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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Protesters blocked highway entering O’Hare airport

Protesters gathered with signs in support of Palestinians as part of a multicity “economic blockade” opposing the war in Gaza. Read more here.

More top news stories:

• Homer Glen mulls banning video gambling at village’s truck stops

• Chicago homicides in 2024: 130 people slain. Here’s how that compares with previous years.

Oberweis Dairy files for bankruptcy

The family-owned dairy, which has dozens of ice cream stores and shelf space in grocery stores across the Midwest, owes more than $4 million to its 20 largest unsecured creditors, according to the bankruptcy filing Friday in Chicago. Read more here.

More top business stories:

• Bears CEO Kevin Warren purchased a $1.75M Streeterville condo last summer

• Highland Park approves contract for downtown ‘streetscape’ renovation

Michael Busch’s hot start shows why the Chicago Cubs are so high on the slugger: ‘That’s raw power’

Busch’s two-run homer in the fourth inning Sunday against Seattle Mariners starter Luis Castillo gave the Cubs a three-run lead, runs that proved to be the difference in their 3-2 victory. Read more here.

More top sports stories:

• Column: Chicago Bulls escaped their 5-14 start — ‘it could’ve been a lot worse’ — but is a second consecutive losing season good enough?

• ‘No one likes losing’: Chicago White Sox fall to the Cincinnati Reds and drop to 2-13, the worst 15-game start in franchise history

Money Man kicks off his Purple Heart Tour in Chicago, ‘one of my biggest fan bases’

He said he chose to kick his tour off in the Windy City because this is where he’s earned the most support in his career since 2016. Read more here.

More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:

• Review: ‘Lempicka’ struggles to make a painter’s life work as a Broadway musical

• Longtime Italian restauranteur makes ‘bittersweet’ exit as chef and owner of Pescatore in Franklin Park

Donald Trump’s history-making hush-money trial begins with challenge of picking a jury

Trump arrived today at a New York court for the start of jury selection in his hush-money trial, marking a singular moment in American history as the former president answers to criminal charges that he falsified business records in order to stifle stories about his sex life. Read more here.

More top stories from around the world:

• Israeli military renews warnings to Palestinians not to return to war-torn northern Gaza

• Gun supervisor for ‘Rust’ movie gets 18 months in prison for fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin on set