Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Alexander Sittenfeld aka P. G. Sittenfeld v. United States
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, No. 23-3840 · judgment February 11, 2025
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
The First Amendment protects soliciting and contributing funds to support a political candidate based on his or her intended policies. To avoid chilling this core First Amendment activity—or exposing routine campaign donations to selective prosecution— the Government must satisfy a heightened standard when it seeks to treat an otherwise-lawful campaign contribution as an unlawful bribe. It must prove an “explicit” quid pro quo agreement, with an official act conditioned on a campaign contribution. McCormick v. United States, 500 U.S. 257 (1991). The question presented is: When the government alleges bribery based solely on lawful campaign contributions, may the defendant be convicted based on evidence that is ambiguous as to whether the public official conditioned any official act on the campaign contributions?
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Noel John Francisco
Jones Day
For respondent
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General
Proceedings
- May 08 2026Judgment issued.
- Apr 06 2026Petition GRANTED. Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED for further consideration in light of the pending motion to dismiss the indictment.
- Mar 30 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/2/2026.
- Mar 23 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/27/2026.
- Mar 16 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/20/2026.
- Mar 02 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/6/2026.
- Feb 23 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/27/2026.
- Feb 13 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
- Jan 20 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/23/2026.
- Jan 12 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/16/2026.
- Jan 05 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
- Nov 25 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/12/2025.
- Nov 24 2025Reply of petitioner Alexander Sittenfeld aka P. G. Sittenfeld filed. (Distributed)
- Nov 10 2025Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed.
- Oct 06 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted in part and the time is further extended to and including November 10, 2025.
- Oct 02 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 15, 2025 to November 12, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Aug 19 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including October 15, 2025.
- Aug 18 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 15, 2025 to October 15, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Aug 14 2025Brief amicus curiae of Institute for Free Speech filed.
- Aug 14 2025Brief amici curiae of Robert McDonnell, et al. filed.
- Aug 14 2025Brief amici curiae of Former Federal Public Corruption Prosecutors filed.
- Aug 14 2025Brief amici curiae of Former Federal Officials filed.
- Aug 14 2025Brief amici curiae of Former FEC Commissioners filed.
- Aug 14 2025Brief amicus curiae of Local 212, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers filed.
- Aug 14 2025Brief amici curiae of Former Federal, State, and Local Elected Officials filed.
- Aug 14 2025Brief amici curiae of Business and Civic Leaders filed.
- Aug 13 2025Brief amici curiae of Professor Daniel Hemel, et al. filed.
- Aug 13 2025Brief amicus curiae of Christopher J. Wright filed.
- Aug 08 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including September 15, 2025.
- Aug 07 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from August 14, 2025 to September 15, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Jul 11 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 14, 2025)
- Jun 09 2025Application (24A964) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until July 11, 2025.
- Jun 04 2025Application (24A964) to extend further the time from June 11, 2025 to July 11, 2025, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.
- Apr 09 2025Application (24A964) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until June 11, 2025.
- Mar 31 2025Application (24A964) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 12, 2025 to June 11, 2025, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.