Ninth Circuit upholds bribery conviction of longtime LA politician

The Ninth Circuit upheld the bribery conviction of veteran Los Angeles politician Mark Ridley-Thomas, who was found guilty of soliciting favors for his son from the University of Southern California in exchange for supporting county contracts. The court ruled that a $100,000 indirect donation to a nonprofit benefiting Ridley-Thomas' son constituted a 'thing of value' under bribery laws.