Congressional Aide’s Conviction for Bribing Marijuana Shop OK

A congressional aide’s conviction for trying to shake down a medical marijuana dispensary will stand despite his claim it was impossible for him to make good on his promises.

Nothing in the federal bribery of a public official statute requires the scheme to be successful, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said Dec. 9.

Michael Kimbrew was a field representative in Rep. Janice Hahn’s Compton, Calif., office. His duties included going into the community and reporting back to Hahn.

When Kimbrew visited a medical marijuana dispensary, he told the owners it was operating without proper permits, but ...