Today’s decision (PDF) by the U.S. Supreme Court limiting the federal “honest services” law that’s so popular in corruption cases may have implications for the ongoing investigation of former Gov. Mike Easley. But maybe not.

The honest-services law says that employees and public officials have a duty to provide honest services to their employers or the public and it may be a crime if they don’t. Justice Antonin Scalia, who’s no fan of the law, said it’s an abuse of the criminal code.

Today, the justices unanimously vacated the convictions of former Enron chief Jeffrey Skilling, publishing magnate Conrad Black, and onetime Alaska lawmaker Bruce Weyhrauch, ordering appeals courts to reconsider the convictions. The reason? The honest services law is too vague, and should not be used in federal prosecutions unless evidence is presented that defendants received bribes or kickbacks. (Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Anthony Kennedy went further, saying the entire law is unconstitutional.)

I’ve only skimmed the opinion, and I’m no lawyer, but my initial take is that today’s decision will have little impact on the Easley probe. For one thing, he has not been indicted, so prosecutors can modify any planned indictment with the ruling in mind.

Next, it’s hardly a reach to consider the 25-percent discount Easley received on his purchase of a lot at the coastal Cannonsgate community ? not to mention the sweet deal he seemed to get long before the closing document was publicized ??a kickback, particularly if it can be shown that developers were using Easley’s purchase as a marketing tool to attract other buyers. (And the developers had asked state officials to fast-track their environmental permits.)

The free cars and flights Easley and his family received also are potential kickbacks so long as the donors had business before the government.

So today’s ruling may not affect Easley at all. It will make it tougher to go after other corruption cases unless prosecutors have tangible evidence ? as they should, anyway.

For Carolina Journal’s full archive of Easley scandal stories, go here.