James Powers, Assistant U. S. Attorney
Chief Public Corruption Section

Those who hold public office, whether elected, appointed or hired, bear special responsibilities in their positions. Violations of any nature that involve abuse of office by a public employee or matters involving a private citizen involved in public corruption receive special attention by prosecutors.

18 USCA 1951 - The Hobbs Act
 
 * (a) Whoever in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects
 commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce,
 by ROBBERY or EXTORTION or attempts or CONSPIRES so to do, or
 commits or threatens physical violence to any person or property
 in furtherance of a plan or purpose to do anything in violation of
  this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not
 more than twenty years, or both.
 
 * (b) As used in this section -
 + (1) The term ''robbery'' means the unlawful taking or OBTAINING
 of personal property from the person or in the presence of
 another, AGAINST HIS WILL, by means of actual or threatened
 force, or violence, or FEAR OF INJURY, immediate or future,
 to his PERSON or property, or property in his custody or
  possession,
 or the person or property of a relative or member of his family
 or of anyone in his company at the time of the taking or OBTAINING.
 + (2) The term ''extortion'' means the obtaining of PROPERTY from
  another, WITH HIS CONSENT, induced by wrongful use of actual or
 threatened force, violence, or FEAR, or under color of official
 right.
 + (3) The term ''commerce'' means commerce within the District
 of Columbia, or any Territory or Possession of the United States;
 all commerce between any point in a State, Territory, Possession,
 or the District of Columbia and any point outside thereof; all
 commerce between points within the same State through any place
 outside such State; and all other commerce over which the United
 States has jurisdiction.
 
  [Leaving the simple meaning of commerce: the exchange of
  goods and services, to be understood. There is no indication
  in the statutory language that the underlying simple meaning
  of "commerce" or that specifically define in paragraph (b)(3)
  should be necessarily be construed on a large scale.] - wch
 
 * (c) This section shall not be construed to repeal, modify or
 affect section 17 of Title 15, sections 52, 101-115, 151-166 of
 Title 29 or sections 151-188 of Title 45.