In a case called Snyder v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal law does not prohibit paying state and local officials for favors if the money isn’t promised in advance.

This ruling undercuts one of the most important anti-corruption statutes used by prosecutors to hold to account government officials who accept money in exchange for official actions. Whether cash is handed to an official before or after the award of a government contract or other favorable official action, accepting cash for favors should be barred.

The good news — such as it is — is that Congress can revise the federal anti-corruption law to clarify the language the Supreme Court got hung up on.