ocasio argued october decided may petitioner samuel ocasio former police officer participated kickback scheme officers routed damaged vehicles accident scenes auto repair shop exchange payments shopowners petitioner charged obtaining money shopowners color official right violation hobbs act conspiring violate hobbs act violation trial district rejected petitioner argument hobbs act prohibits obtaining property another hobbs act conspiracy requires proof alleged conspirators agreed obtain property someone outside conspiracy petitioner convicted counts fourth circuit affirmed petitioner challenges conspiracy conviction contending convicted conspiring shopowners obtain money color official right held defendant may convicted conspiring violate hobbs act based proof reached agreement owner property question obtain property color official right pp general federal conspiracy statute petitioner convicted makes crime conspire commit offense section use term conspire incorporates principles conspiracy law established case law fundamental characteristic conspiracy joint commitment endeavor completed satisfy elements underlying substantive criminal offense salinas conspirator need agree commit substantive offense even capable committing order convicted sufficient conspirator agreed underlying crime committed member conspiracy capable committing see holte gebardi pp basic principles conspiracy law resolve case establish alleged hobbs act conspiracy government needed prove agreement conspirator commit element substantive offense petitioner shopowners reached agreement shared common purpose petitioner police officers obtain property another shopowners color official right pp contrary petitioner claims decision dissolve distinction extortion conspiracy commit extortion transform every bribe public official conspiracy commit extortion petitioner exaggerates impact decision argument create serious practical problems approach validity charge hobbs act conspiracy often depend difficult questions little culpability pp affirmed alito delivered opinion kennedy ginsburg breyer kagan joined breyer filed concurring opinion thomas filed dissenting opinion sotomayor filed dissenting opinion roberts joined opinion notice opinion subject formal revision publication preliminary print reports readers requested notify reporter decisions washington typographical formal errors order corrections may made preliminary print goes press samuel ocasio petitioner writ certiorari appeals fourth circuit may justice alito delivered opinion petitioner samuel ocasio former officer baltimore police department participated kickback scheme owners local auto repair shop petitioner baltimore officers reported scene auto accident persuaded owners damaged cars vehicles towed repair shop exchange service officers received payments shopowners petitioner convicted obtaining money shopowners color official right violation hobbs act conspiring violate hobbs act violation challenges conspiracy conviction contending matter law convicted conspiring shopowners obtain money color official right reject argument contrary principles conspiracy law hernan alexis moreno mejia known moreno edwin javier mejia known mejia brothers operated majestic auto repair shop majestic majestic struggling attract customers moreno mejia made deal baltimore police officer jhonn corona exchange kickbacks officer corona refer motorists whose cars damaged accidents majestic towing repairs officer corona spread word members force eventually many officers sent damaged cars majestic exchange payments per referral petitioner began participate scheme several occasions convinced accident victims cars towed majestic often sending car majestic petitioner called moreno scene accident ensure make model car extent damage car insurance coverage allow shopowners turn profit repairs directing vehicle majestic petitioner call moreno request payment police often among first arrive scene accident baltimore officers well positioned route damaged vehicles majestic result kickback scheme highly successful substantially increased majestic volume business profits early provided majestic least customers moreno mejia petitioner nine baltimore officers indicted shopowners officers eventually pleaded guilty pursuant plea deals petitioner superseding indictment petitioner charged three counts violating hobbs act extorting money moreno consent color official right parties agree type extortion petitioner convicted obtaining property another consent color official right rough equivalent describe bribe evans prove offense government need show public official obtained payment entitled knowing payment made return official acts petitioner another baltimore officer kelvin quade manrich also charged violating general federal conspiracy statute indictment alleged petitioner manrich conspired moreno mejia baltimore officers bring sort substantive violations petitioner charged trial petitioner began raise variant legal argument brought case sought jury instruction stating order convict defendant conspiracy commit extortion color official right government must prove beyond reasonable doubt conspiracy obtain money property person member conspiracy app support instruction petitioner relied sixth circuit decision brock concerned two bail bondsmen made payments clerk exchange alteration records sixth circuit held covered hobbs act alleged conspirators must formed agreement obtain another say formed agreement obtain property someone outside conspiracy district rule request prior trial petitioner codefendant manrich pleaded guilty trial close prosecution case close evidence petitioner moved judgment acquittal conspiracy count based brock district denied motions concluding fourth circuit already rejected brock holding spitler district also refused give petitioner proposed instruction instead adopted sort standard instructions typically used conspiracy cases see generally sand et modern federal jury instructions criminal order convict petitioner conspiracy charge jury told prosecution required prove two persons entered unlawful agreement petitioner knowingly willfully became member conspiracy least one member conspiracy knowingly committed least one overt act overt act committed objective conspiracy caution ed mere knowledge acquiescence without participation unlawful plan sufficient demonstrate membership conspiracy app rather explained conspirators must mutual understanding cooperate accomplish unlawful act petitioner must joined conspiracy intention aiding accomplishment unlawful ends jury found petitioner guilty conspiracy count three substantive extortion counts district sentenced concurrent terms months prison four counts appeal fourth circuit petitioner primary argument one pressed district conspiracy conviction fatally flawed conspirators agreed obtain money person member conspiracy fourth circuit rejected petitioner argument affirmed convictions granted certiorari affirm ii longstanding principles conspiracy law defendant may convicted conspiring violate hobbs act based proof entered conspiracy objective obtaining property another conspirator consent color official right analyzing petitioner arguments begin text statute convicted namely general federal conspiracy statute makes crime conspire commit offense emphasis added section use term conspire incorporates principles conspiracy law established case law fundamental characteristic conspiracy joint commitment endeavor completed satisfy elements underlying substantive criminal offense salinas see bishop commentaries criminal law rev ed conspiracy modern law generally defined confederacy two persons accomplish unlawful purpose hawley mcgregor criminal law ed similar lafave criminal law ed similar although conspirators must pursue criminal objective conspirator need agree commit facilitate every part substantive offense salinas supra defendant must merely reach agreement specific intent underlying crime committed member conspiracy grenig lee federal jury practice instructions criminal ed emphasis added see also explaining defendant must intend agree must intend substantive offense committed emphasis added government prove defendant intended commit underlying offense instead conspirators plan calls conspirators perpetrate crime others provide support supporters guilty perpetrators salinas supra see sand supra hen people enter conspiracy accomplish unlawful end every member becomes agent conspirators carrying conspiracy simple examples illustrate important point entering dwelling historically element burglary see lafave supra person may conspire commit burglary without agreeing set foot inside targeted home enough conspirator agrees help person actually enter dwelling perhaps serving lookout driving getaway car likewise specific intent distribute drugs oneself required secure conviction participating conspiracy piper agreeing store drugs one house support conspiracy may sufficient ibid unnecessary member conspiracy agree commit element substantive offense also conspirator may convicted even though incapable committing substantive offense salinas supra see rabinowich person may guilty conspiring although incapable committing objective offense sand supra ou may find defendant guilty conspiracy despite fact incapable committing substantive crime applied principles two cases involving mann act see act june ch stat section mann act made crime transport woman cause transported across state lines immoral holte federal grand jury charged woman clara holte conspiring man named chester laudenschleger violate provision district dismissed charge holte holding woman holte convicted substantive offense transporting causing transported across state lines also convicted conspiring commit offense succinct opinion justice holmes rejected argument stating plainly person may conspire commission crime third person even commit substantive crime dissent argued holding effectively turned every woman acquiesced covered interstate trip conspirator see opinion lamar disagreed acknowledged may degree coöperation insufficient make woman conspirator refused rule possibility woman conspire cause transported illustrate point provided example woman played active role planning carrying expanded points gebardi another mann act conspiracy case man woman convicted conspiring transport woman one state another immoral purpose deciding case gebardi explicitly reaffirmed longstanding principle ncapacity one commit substantive offense necessarily imply may impunity conspire others able commit moreover fully accepted holte holding woman convicted conspiring cause transported across state lines see held evidence insufficient support conspiracy convictions show ed woman went willingly upon journeys purposes alleged noting evidence woman active moving spirit conceiving carrying transportation held evidence mere consent acquiescence enough holte gebardi make perfectly clear person may convicted conspiring commit substantive offense personally commit also show person consent acquiescence inherent underlying substantive offense something bare consent acquiescence may needed prove person conspirator basic principles conspiracy law resolve case order establish existence conspiracy violate hobbs act government obligation demonstrate conspirator agreed personally commit even capable committing substantive offense hobbs act extortion sufficient prove conspirators agreed underlying crime committed member conspiracy capable committing words conspirator must specifically intended conspirator commit element substantive exactly happened petitioner moreno mejia share common purpose namely petitioner police officers commit every element substantive extortion offense salinas petitioner officers obtain property color official right something moreno mejia incapable public officials petitioner officers obtain money another moreno mejia majestic although moreno mejia incapable committing underlying substantive offense reasoning holte gebardi conspire commit hobbs act extortion agreeing help petitioner officers commit substantive offense see holte conspiracy officer employé government offence commit held many years fall within conspiracy section penal code see also salinas supra gebardi supra rabinowich reasons clear petitioner convicted conspiring obtain property shopowners consent color official right effort escape conclusion petitioner argues usual rules apply type hobbs act conspiracy charged case basic argument ultimately follows members conspiracy must share criminal objective objective conspiracy charged case obtain money another consent color official right moreno mejia objective obtaining money another money question accordingly incapable members conspiracy charged case since insufficient evidence record show petitioner conspired anyone moreno mejia must acquitted see reply brief argument fails simple reason contrary petitioner claim shopowners common criminal objective objective conspirator including moreno mejia obtain money another rather petitioner baltimore officers see app superseding indictment purpose conspiracy moreno mejia enrich bpd baltimore police department officers exchange bpd officers exercise official positions influence cause vehicles towed otherwise delivered majestic petitioner dispute properly convicted three substantive hobbs act violations based proof obtained money another criminal objective petitioner moreno mejia agreed petitioner baltimore officers commit substantive violations nature thus rules conspiracy law petitioner properly charged convicted conspiring shopowners nothing text hobbs act even remotely undermines conclusion petitioner invocation rule principles unavailing petitioner argues interpretation makes hobbs act sweep broadly creating national antibribery law displacing carefully crafted network state federal statutes contends charge conspiring obtain money conspirator consent color official right tantamount charge soliciting accepting bribe allowing charge undermines federal bribery statute applicable state local officials state bribery laws also argues extortion conspiracies sort known prior enactment hobbs act evidence congress meant act plow new ground subtext arguments seems unnatural prosecute bribery basis statute prohibiting extortion held evans hobbs act extortion color official right includes rough equivalent describe bribe petitioner ask us overturn evans see brief petitioner tr oral arg occasion already held prohibits rough equivalent bribery principled basis precluding prosecution conspiracies commit petitioner also exaggerates reach decision claims dissolve distinction extortion conspiracy commit extortion every act extortion hobbs act requires property obtained consent petitioner argues proof consent always nearly always establish existence conspiratorial agreement thus allow government turn virtually every extortion case conspiracy case plenty instances consent required hobbs act enough constitute sort agreement needed law conspiracy used hobbs act phrase consent designed distinguish extortion obtaining property another consent emphasis added robbery obtaining personal property person presence another emphasis added thus consent simply signifies taking property circumstances falling short robbery consent quite different mens rea necessary conspiracy conclusion clear language prohibiting obtaining property another consent induced wrongful use actual threatened force violence fear emphasis added language applies example store owner makes periodic protection payments gang members fear otherwise trash store payments obtained store owner grudging consent store owner simply making demanded payments enter conspiratorial agreement gang members conducting shakedown see salinas conspirators must pursue criminal objective bailey conspiracy requires heightened mental state anderson prosecution must show offender acted specific intent mere acquiescence mann act violation insufficient create conspiracy see gebardi holte minimal consent required trigger insufficient form conspiratorial agreement interpretation thus turn virtually every act extortion conspiracy reading transform every bribe public official conspiracy commit extortion consent required pay bribe necessarily create conspiratorial agreement cases bribe payor merely complying official demand payor lacks mens rea necessary conspiracy see linas supra bailey supra anderson supra gebardi supra example imagine health inspector demands bribe restaurant owner threatening close restaurant owner pay owner reluctantly pays bribe order keep business open owner consented inspector demand mere acquiescence demand form petitioner exaggerates impact decision argument create serious practical problems validity charge hobbs act conspiracy often depend difficult questions little criminal culpability case example ownership money obtained petitioner far clear appears funds came majestic account app evidence period petitioner membership conspiracy majestic converted limited liability company regular business corporation app pp transformation money obtained petitioner may come corporate funds corporation entity distinct shareholders therefore even petitioner interpretation applicable law moreno mejia agreed petitioner obtain money another suppose moreno mejia made payments taking money personal bank account dictate different outcome suppose majestic partnership payments came company account mean moreno agreed officers obtain money another insofar obtain mejia share partnership funds mejia similarly agreed officers obtain money another insofar obtain share belonging moreno consider example suppose owner manager nightclub reach agreement public official owner bribe official approve club liquor license application petitioner approach public official club manager may guilty conspiring commit extortion agreed official obtain property another owner property obtained reply brief owner prosecuted apparent reason however manager owner culpable situation iii defendant may convicted conspiring violate hobbs act based proof reached agreement owner property question obtain property color official right petitioner joined agreement conspiracy conviction must stand judgment appeals fourth circuit affirmed ordered breyer concurring samuel ocasio petitioner writ certiorari appeals fourth circuit may justice breyer concurring agree sentiment expressed dissenting opinion justice thomas evans may well wrongly decided see post think exceptionally difficult question whether extortion within meaning hobbs act really rough equivalent taking bribe evans internal quotation marks omitted especially admittedly decided question case without benefit full briefing extortion history see concurring part concurring judgment neither party case briefed argued question present case underscores problems evans raises example scenario presented today public health inspector asks money restaurant owner exchange favorable reports see ante courts juries draw difficult distinction somewhat involuntary behavior bribe payor voluntary behavior bribe payor may determine whether conspiracy compare holte finding transported woman conspire violate mann act gebardi finding conspiracy nonetheless must case take evans good law see tr oral arg petitioner take th holding evans given join majority opinion full thomas dissenting samuel ocasio petitioner writ certiorari appeals fourth circuit may justice thomas dissenting today holds extortionist conspire commit extortion person extorting see ante holding exposes flaw understanding extortion view started wrong path evans wrongly equated extortion bribery holding evans made seem plausible extortionist conspire victim rather embrace view extend evans errors accordingly respectfully dissent hobbs act makes crime obstruc dela affec commerce extortion act defines extortion obtaining property another consent induced wrongful use actual threatened force violence fear color official right evans held obtain conviction extortion color official right government need show public official obtained payment entitled knowing payment made return official acts therefore interpreted extortion hobbs act rough equivalent bribe dissented evans holding disregarded definite meaning color official right element extortion internal quotation marks omitted common law essential money property obtained color office pretense officer entitled thereto virtue office money thing received must claimed accepted right office person paying must yielded official authority ibid quoting anderson wharton criminal law procedure pp emphasis deleted congress enacted hobbs act offense thus understood involve merely wrongful taking public official wrongful taking false pretense official right emphasis deleted given established meaning extortion adopted hobbs act evans erred equating extortion taking bribe bribery extortion different crimes ibid extortion public official sole wrongdoer ibid official acts color office law regards payor innocent victim accomplice ibid official solicits takes bribe contrast color office pretense official entitlement ibid bribery payor knows recipient official entitled payment well official may punished offense ibid emphasis deleted ii relying evans definition hobbs act extortion see ante holds extortionist conspire commit extortion person extorting ante holding irreconcilable correct understanding hobbs act extortion needlessly extends evans error conspiracy context general federal conspiracy statute makes crime two persons conspire commit offense guilty conspiracy commit extortion two persons must conspire obtai property another consent induced color official right correct understanding hobbs act extortion illogical wrong say two people conspired extort one explained hobbs act extortion case perpetrator public official payor victim participant see evans thomas dissenting understanding irreconcilable view extortionist extortion payor payor conspires public official payor pay official whatever two said done conspired obtain payments official pretense official entitlement ibid extortionist payor know official entitled payments matter office conspired commit hobbs act extortion record confirms scheme involve extortion common law understood crime far victimizing owners alexis moreno edwin mejia allegedly extortionate scheme benefited repair shop time shop business came referrals police officers moreno mejia worked ocasio officers maximize shop profits scheme moreno mejia pleaded guilty hobbs act extortion conspiracy belying claim innocent victims government maintain owners paid ocasio based assertion false pretense official right payment thomas dissenting government instead emphatic moreno mejia participated full partners scheme record refutes suggestion th scheme brief whatever crime ocasio may committed conspiracy commit extortion sure conclusion plausible evans redefinition extortion reason extend evans error blurring distinction bribery extortion evans make seem plausible extortionist victim conspire extort victim today takes another step away understanding extortion hobbs act adopted iii decision unfortunate expands federal criminal liability way conflicts principles federalism even evans decided nearly years ago hobbs act already served engine stunning expansion federal criminal jurisdiction field traditionally policed state local laws acts public corruption state local officials thomas dissenting disregarding distinction extortion bribery evans expanded hobbs act allow federal prosecutors reach conduct state local government officials see expansion unwarranted congress made intent regulate state officials unmistakably clear language hobbs act gregory ashcroft internal quotation marks omitted basis reading hobbs act expansively evans supra thomas dissenting see jones nless congress conveys purpose clearly deemed significantly changed balance prosecution crimes internal quotation marks omitted today broadens hobbs act reach enable federal prosecutors punish conspiracy participants bribery scheme invasion state sovereign functions substantial federal government expansively charge state local officials easily obtain pleas convictions officials government prosecute sweeping conspiracy charges easier induce payors plead testify state local officials thus wrenches presumptive control officials wrongdoing evans cites statutory text clearly authorizing intrusion matters presumptively left jones supra evans need overreach state law already punishes conduct issue see md crim law code ann punishing bribery bribery public official cf brock one doubts criminal laws prohibiting citizens bribing public officials think reason doubt willingness invoke laws citizens engage brazen bribery scheme evans reaches decision barely nod sovereignty interests tramples see ante summarily dismissing unavailing ocasio invocation principles federalism evans agree consistent hobbs act text hold extortionist conspire commit extortion person extorting accordingly reverse appeals judgment upholding ocasio conspiracy conviction reasons respectfully dissent sotomayor dissenting samuel ocasio petitioner writ certiorari appeals fourth circuit may justice sotomayor chief justice joins dissenting group conspirators sets extort another person ordinarily think proposing extort money property victim outside group one group conspiratorial entity victim another person upholding conspiracy conviction interprets phrase extorting property another hobbs act contrary natural holds group conspirators agree obtain property another violation act even agree transfer property among natural logical way interpret phrase another respectfully dissent indictment charged ocasio former baltimore police officer participating kickback scheme engineered owners local auto repair shop brothers herman moreno edwin mejia ocasio baltimore officers referred victims brothers shop body repair work exchange moreno mejia paid ocasio referral indictment pleaded ocasio officers brothers conspired violation federal conspiracy statute commit extortion violation hobbs act federal conspiracy statute applies whenever two persons conspire commit federal offense least one acts furtherance offense hobbs act federal offense punishes hoever commits extortion defines extortion obtaining property another consent color official right extortion includes taking bribe see evans putting together charging ocasio conspiring commit extortion prosecutors charged agreeing take bribes another person trial rather attempt prove ocasio agreed officers take bribes moreno mejia government contended ocasio agreed take brothers bribes brothers agreed ocasio obtain property another person someone ocasio argued contrast impossible group people agree obtain property another without evidence another person outside conspiratorial agreement gave property ocasio conceded alone violate hobbs act taking bribe one brothers maintained brothers group also violate conspiracy statute agreeing one take bribe rejects ocasio interpretation ii hobbs act criminalizes extortion public official obtains property another question define another context conspiracy commit extortion another relational word describes one entity connected different entity particular describes entity different distinct one first considered collegiate dictionary ed case conspiracy violate hobbs act obtaining property another relevant entity consider conspiratorial group federal generic conspiracy statute makes crime two people conspire gives word conspire conventional meaning see salinas conspire agree crux conspiracy collective criminal agreement partnership crime callanan natural reading conspiring obtain property another collective agreement obtain property entity different distinct conspiracy ocasio moreno mejia agree ocasio obtain property person different distinct conspirators group agreed ocasio take property moreno mejia people part rather distinct conspiracy three people agree agreed obtain property person involved brock understanding another refers someone outside conspiracy consistent plain meaning hobbs act also precedent explaining purpose conspiracy law target conduct group crimes conspiracy law punishes collective criminal agreement ombination roup association criminal purposes dangerous separate individuals acting alone callanan conspiracy partnership crime confederation scheme enterprise pinkerton accordingly law treats conspiracy least ways entity distinct individual members defendant guilty conspiracy agrees conspiratorial group intends commit elements criminal offense salinas conspirator must intend endeavor completed satisfy elements substantive criminal offense focus group conduct endeavor agreed commit collectively individual members conspiracy act advance conspiratorial endeavor act behalf agents conspiracy performance hyde matter single member group undertakes commit every element offense linas partners criminal plan must agree pursue criminal objective may divide work yet responsible acts one member acts agent conspiracy furthering collective endeavor actions attributable others individual agent alone pinkerton see also long partnership crime continues partners act carrying forward accordingly whether criminal conspiracy exists depends conspirators agreed group principle confirms another best understood relating conspiratorial enterprise another person outside conspiracy conspiracy obtain property another group agreement least one member group obtain property someone part endeavor departing natural reading text holds ocasio punished conspiracy ocasio obtained property another moreno mejia ocasio moreno mejia agreed ocasio engage conduct order reach conclusion implicitly assumes hobbs act use another takes reference point single member conspiracy ocasio rather group conspirators whole see ante basis assumption never explains based plain language hobbs act natural reading text seems foreclose moreno mejia distinct different group formed collective criminal agreement assumption follow prior precedent first principles conspiracy law see part iii infra plain meaning statute general principles conspiracy law lead conclusion conspiracy commit extortion obtaining property another violation hobbs act exist conspirators agree obtain property someone outside conspiracy iii ground decision hobbs act use language another instead relies says principles conspiracy law ante avail principles derived decisions turn interpreting text another federal statute mann act remaining generic principles cites resolve precise question case whether hobbs act use phrase obtain property another adopts perspective individual conspirator conspiratorial group collective best support comes cases interpreting mann act made crime person knowingly transport interstate foreign commerce woman girl purpose prostitution debauchery ante quoting ch stat emphasis deleted one decisions held even though transported woman girl ostensibly victim crime nothing statute precluded prosecutors also convicting woman conspiring another person transport illegally holte derives generic principle conspiracy law victim hobbs act extortion also liable like victim mann act violation ante stretches mann act case beyond tethers holte based analysis entirely text act generic principles conspiracy law unlike hobbs act use another person mann act prohibits transporting woman based language concluded woman held liable conspiring others violate act holte example professional prostitute suggest carry journey buy railroad tickets see also stat mann act specifying procuring obtaining ticket tickets assistance criminal sort thus held within letter act see reason act held apply emphasis added moreover holte based holding text relevant substantive offense reasoning consistent actual principles conspiracy adopt perspective conspiratorial group determine conduct violated text statute members alleged mann act conspiracy agree transport illegally woman group enterprise logically naturally intend transport female member group logic hold case hobbs act requires conspirators agree obtain property another unlike another relational word requires determining group similarly attempts create generic conspiracy principle cites gebardi another mann act case relies act text gebardi considered question whether woman merely acquiesced transported held liable conspiring violate act held conspiracy exist woman aided assisted transportation something mere agreement mere acquiescence transported based decision explicitly language mann act punish woman transporting woman fall within ban statute must least assist someone else transporting procuring transportation accordingly reasoned necessary implication congress decision include woman merely consents scope act mann act conspiracy statute came construed together necessarily congress intend woman nevertheless always held liable conspirator later characterized gebardi holding exceptio limited character ordinary conspiracy law based definition substantive offense text statute pinkerton whatever ordinary conspiracy principles might dictate clear congress intended outcome case tries elicit general principle conspiracy law gebardi ostensible victim statute woman transported person paying bribe convicted merely acquiesces transportation bribe active participant conspiratorial group nevertheless found guilty conspiracy ante draws rough analogy attempt cabin scope future hobbs act conspiracy charges exclude potential defendants whose participation extortion amounts mere acquiescence ignores reasoning gebardi reliance express terms mann act generic conspiracy principles led exclude woman merely acquiesces transported addition mann act argues interpretation correct mejia moreno held liable conspiring commit extortion even though incapable committing substantive crime public officials mejia moreno obtain property color official right ante true enough principle lead conclusion another takes perspective ocasio reference point opposed conspiratorial group example suppose politician lobbyist conspire lobbyist tell clients pay politician bribes exchange official acts lobbyist obtain bribes color official right charged substantive hobbs act extortion violation conspiracy still violate hobbs act see evans conspiratorial group obtained property another clients outside conspiracy exists lobbyist politician suppose lobbyist instead agrees pay bribe back question heart case principle therefore work thinks entirely consistent say obtaining property another violation hobbs act requires conspirators agree obtain property someone outside conspiracy say every conspirator enters agreement need capable committing substantive offense finally raises policy concerns mentions odd immunize ostensible victims conspiracy commit extortion mejia moreno play active role conspiracy members ante perhaps odd concern warrant contortion conspiracy law criminal statutes like federal antibribery laws state laws reach similar conduct see criminalizing bribery state local tribal officials specified circumstances md crim law code ann criminalizing bribery public employee course government attempted convict ocasio conspiracy facts without relying odd theory example proving ocasio conspired baltimore police officers extort property brothers effort make sure ocasio moreno mejia get deserts atextual interpretation hobbs act exposes innocent victims extortion charges conspired extorter whenever agree pay bribe says worry limit scope conspiracy exclude potential defendants whose participation extortion amounts mere acquiescence analogizing gebardi ante gebardi grounded mere acquiescence standard text mann act see supra without textual hook hobbs act rests intuitions drawn basic examples restaurant owner threatened closure health official reluctantly pays bribe says owner guilty conspiracy ante according consented extortion mere acquiescence official demand create conspiratorial agreement ibid contrast says nightclub owner pursues liquor license asking manager bribe public official clearly guilty conspiracy ante agreed public official official obtain property another exchange license ibid examples raise questions answers mere consent tip conspiracy depend whose idea whether bribe floated official demand suggestion happy citizen pay public official much money involved whether citizen gained benefit liquor license avoided loss closing restaurant many times citizen paid bribes whether ever resisted paying called police say leaves federal prosecutors answer questions first instance raising specter potentially charging everybody conspiracy seeing sticks flips three people agree obtain property another everyday understanding agreement intend obtain property someone outside conspiracy reaches opposite conclusion based entirely assumption hobbs act use another takes reference point vantage ocasio alone rather group endeavor constitutes conspiracy offers explanation grounded either text statute principles conspiracy law assumption correct conspiracy long criticized vague elastic fitting whatever prosecutor needs given case see krulewitch jackson concurring warned view disfavor attempts broaden already pervasive nets conspiracy prosecutions grunewald today reaching unnatural outcome predicated unsupported assumption says never mind respectfully dissent footnotes full provided follows person shall knowingly transport cause transported aid assist obtaining transportation transporting interstate foreign commerce territory district columbia woman girl purpose prostitution debauchery immoral purpose intent purpose induce entice compel woman girl become prostitute give debauchery engage immoral practice shall knowingly procure obtain cause procured obtained aid assist procuring obtaining ticket tickets form transportation evidence right thereto used woman girl interstate foreign commerce territory district columbia going place purpose prostitution debauchery immoral purpose intent purpose part person induce entice compel give practice prostitution give debauchery immoral practice whereby woman girl shall transported interstate foreign commerce territory district columbia shall deemed guilty felony upon conviction thereof shall punished fine exceeding five thousand dollars imprisonment five years fine imprisonment discretion act june ch stat emphasis added assumed holte convicted principal substantive offense causing transported across state lines noted might possible woman violate mann act different way aiding procuring form transportation covered interstate trip holte see stat aid assist obtaining transportation woman commit substantive violation explained reason also convicted conspiring commit offense see however refused hold ground woman like holte convicted conspiring violate thus addressed broader question whether possible woman holte position commit offense conspiring laudenschleger procure transportation cause holte transported wrote suppose instance professional prostitute well able look man suggest carry journey within act hope blackmailing man buy railroad tickets pay fare jersey city new york within letter act see reason act held apply path reasoning gebardi reached conclusions essentially follows first perceived mann act congressional judgment woman convicted offense created provision consent acquiesce interstate trip gebardi concluded transported woman never convicted language prohibiting person transporting woman causing woman transported across state lines immoral purpose see act punish woman transporting respect statutory language making crime assist someone else transporting procuring transportation held aiding assisting requires mere consent acquiescence see also rosemond slip aiding abetting requires intent facilitate commission offense second turning issue conspiracy reasoned something woman mere consent acquiescence needed avoid undermining congressional judgment saw framed holding follows perceive failure mann act condemn woman participation transportations effected mere consent evidence affirmative legislative policy leave acquiescence unpunished gebardi supra emphasis added section also requires one conspirators commit overt act furtherance offense petitioner dispute element satisfied government argues lower courts long held private person may guilty type hobbs act extortion aider abettor see brief occasion reach question petitioner position evolved course litigation noted petitioner requested jury instruction stating order convict defendant conspiracy commit extortion color official right government must prove beyond reasonable doubt conspiracy obtain money property person member conspiracy app instruction long shopowners named conspirators petitioner convicted even ample evidence prove conspired baltimore officers obtain money shopowners indeed first raised brock argument see brock another officer manrich still case charged conspiracy petition writ certiorari appears based broad argument question presented phrased follows conspiracy commit extortion require conspirators agree obtain property someone outside conspiracy pet cert argument petitioner opening brief similar see brief petitioner arguing hobbs act conspiracy requires conspirators agree among wrongly obtain property someone outside ring conspiracy government brief pointed argument strange implications see brief assume sufficient evidence prove petitioner conspired baltimore officers obtain money moreno mejia petitioner original broad argument charge valid long moreno mejia named conspirators naming indictment render charge invalid indictments however often attempt name conspirators indictment case see app charging petitioner manrich conspired among others persons unknown strange decision name moreno mejia rendered otherwise valid charge defective course petitioner might make even broader argument conspiracy charge fail moreno mejia although named conspirators indictment later listed conspirators response bill particulars government took position trial perhaps seeking introduce statements exemption hearsay rule response government argument petitioner reply brief claimed argument actually narrower one consider matter law moreno mejia members conspiracy aim obtaining money consent color official right see reply brief reply brief contends acceptance narrower argument requires acquittal insufficient evidence show conspired anyone moreno mejia ibid appeals however concluded otherwise see nevertheless decision based primarily grounds address petitioner argument ultimately refined rule applies criminal statute contains grievous ambiguity uncertainty seizing everything aid derived make guess congress intended muscarello internal quotation marks omitted unmindful federalism concerns implicated case concerns raised rejected evans see thomas dissenting construction hobbs act repugnant basic tenets federalism accept controlling see part infra justice thomas argues evans wrongly decided position makes sense extent simply refuses accept case founders insofar suggests even evans accepted relation substantive hobbs act charges extended conspiracy cases see post dissenting opinion extend evans errors post holding needlessly extends evans error conspiracy context post today takes another step away understanding extortion hobbs act adopted strange provision criminal code meant one thing respect charges substantive violation something different cases involving conspiracy commit offense petitioner also claims naming moreno mejia conspirators opened door prosecutors employ potent evidentiary rules conspiracy charges make available see brief petitioner naming shopowners effect joinder defendant named superseding indictment manrich joined even shopowners named naming moreno mejia effect admissibility evidence overt acts committed baltimore officers named petitioner footnotes justice thomas sets forth believes evans wrongly decided ante dissenting opinion party asks us overrule evans case question considered see also oxford english dictionary ed one one originally second two things subsequently extended anything additional remaining beyond already considered additional emphasis deleted oxford english dictionary ed webster new international dictionary ed different distinct separate one one considered new oxford american dictionary ed used refer different person thing one already mentioned known american heritage dictionary ed distinctly different first moreover oddity hobbs act failure punish bribe payors conspiring bribe takers may partly explained decision hold extortion hobbs act reaches public official accepts bribe first place see ante thomas dissenting