While the jury instructions calling for conviction based on suspected “winks and nods” created the possibility for a successful appeal by the defense, there’s an even bigger takeaway from this case: Do NOT... EVER.. accept gifts at any time if you are a GOP officeholder. The system is now structurally arranged to allow democrats as much corruption as they want (Maxine Waters, Charles Rangel, et al), but a GOPer will not get the same latitude. So the best course is staying above reproach. Politely reject even the smallest of tokens.
Even so, there is a double standard in politics that often allows those who have engaged in similar or worse behavior not only to escape prosecution but to win re-election.
I’ve long argued that you cannot have ‘double’ standards when the opposition has NO standards.
Paging Chris Dodd...Friend of Angelo