The Supreme Court's Decision

In a rare unanimous ruling, the US Supreme Court has overturned the corruption conviction of a former Virginia governor, Robert McDonnell.

美国最高法院罕见地一致推翻了对前弗吉尼亚州州长罗伯特·麦克唐纳的腐败指控。

But it did so while holding its nose at the ethics of his conduct, which included accepting gifts such as a Rolex watch and a Ferrari automobile from a company seeking access to government.

但是最高法院也对其收取礼物的行为嗤之以鼻，这其中包括接受一家试图打通政府部门关系的一家公司馈赠的劳力士手表和法拉利跑车等礼物。

The high court's decision said the judge in Mr. McDonnell's trial failed to tell a jury that it must look only at his "official acts," or the former governor's decisions on "specific" and "unsettled" issues related to his duties.

高等法院的判决认为，主审麦克唐纳案的法官没有告知陪审团必须只审查他的“官方行为”，或者与这位前州长职责相关的“特定的”和“未确定的”问题上的决定。

Merely helping a gift-giver gain access to other officials, unless done with clear intent to pressure those officials, is not corruption, the justices found.

法官们发现，只是帮助送礼者接触其他官员，除非出于向这些官员明确施压的目的，否则并不构成贪污罪。

The court did suggest that accepting favors in return for opening doors is "distasteful" and "nasty."

法院确实表示，为送礼者开路并从中牟利的行为是“令人反感的”且“肮脏的”。

But under anti-bribery laws, proof must be made of concrete benefits, such as approval of a contract or regulation.

但是根据《反腐败法》的规定，必须找出具体的获利证据，例如批准某项合同或者法规。

Simply arranging a meeting, making a phone call, or hosting an event is not an "official act."

仅仅安排一个会面，打一个电话，或者主持一个活动都不是“官方行为”。

The court's ruling is legally sound in defining a kind of favoritism that is not criminal.

最高法院将该事件判决为一种偏袒而不是犯罪的行为是合法的。

Elected leaders must be allowed to help supporters deal with bureaucratic problems without fear of prosecution of bribery.

被选出的政府领导人必须能帮助其支持者处理官僚体制内的问题，而不必担心因受贿被起诉。

"The basic compact underlying representative government," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts for the court, "assumes that public officials will hear from their constituents and act on their concerns."

针对此次法庭审理，首席大法官约翰·罗伯茨写道：“代议制政府当包含这样的契约，即公职人员会听取选民的诉求，并努力践行他们的关注点。”

But the ruling reinforces the need for citizens and their elected representatives, not the courts, to ensure equality of access to government.

但是，公民及他们选举出来的代表，而非法院，必须确保接触政府部门的途径是平等的，而这一判决强化了这种必要性。

Officials must not be allowed to play favorites in providing information or in arranging meetings simply because an individual or group provides a campaign donation or a personal gift.

官员不得因个人或团体提供竞选捐款或私人礼物而在提供信息或安排会面时有所偏袒。

This type of integrity requires well-enforced laws in government transparency, such as records of official meetings, rules on lobbying, and information about each elected leader's source of wealth.

这种诚信需要在政府透明度上制定严格的法律，例如要记录正式会议，制定游说规则，以及公布每个当选领导人的资金来源信息等等。

Favoritism in official access can fan public perceptions of corruption. But it is not always corruption.

官方性的偏袒会激起关于腐败的公众认知。但这并不总是腐败。

Rather officials must avoid double standards, or different types of access to average people and the wealthy.

相反，官员必须避免双重标准，或是区别对待普通人和富人。

If connections can be bought, a basic premise of democratic society — that all are equal in treatment by government — is undermined.

如果与政府的关系可以交易、那么民主社会基本前提——政府平等对待一切，就会受到损害。

Good government rests on an understanding of the inherent worth of each individual.

良好的政府建立在理解每个人的内在价值之上。

The court's ruling is a step forward in the struggle against both corruption and official favoritism.

最高法院的裁决使得与腐败和徇私舞弊的斗争又向前迈进一步。

美文阅读笔记

㈠一个人的形象和教养，会在不经意间于行为细节处展露无遗。天下大事必作于细，细节的背后是用心程度和价值观。魔鬼就藏在细节里。

　　在这个步步为营的时代，你会通过细节审视一个人吗？你知道什么样的细节直指一个人的本质吗？

　　很多时候，让人优秀起来的并不是大善义举或者功成名就，而是一些细微的习惯与修养。因为具备这些习惯与修养，他（她）得以在向上的路上越走越顺，渐渐与庸常之人拉开距离。生活、学习与工作，都是由千千万万个细节组成，愿你们能够关注“细节”之镜，正衣冠，慎言行，在观察别人的同时反省自己，注重细节的威力，努力完善每一个细节，做更好的自己。

㈡大约每个人都有种怀才尚未遇伯乐的感觉，所以应当随时做好准备。一个人的运气什么时候到来很难说，一息尚存则希望不灭。

　　我一直记得琼·柯林斯在拍摄电视剧《豪门恩怨》之前多年没有工作，可是她一在剧中亮相就艳压群芳。那是什么样的戏以及她的性格如何根本不重要，那种忍耐和毅力才叫人刮目相看。