US v. Singh, No. 17-50337 (5-16-19)(M. Smith w/Watford & Hurwitz). Back in 2012, defendants sought to influence the San Diego mayoral election via contributions.  One defendant was a Mexican citizen who sought to develop Chula Vista into the Miami Beach of the West Coast (Query: is that by itself criminal?).  The problem was that the influence was through contributions by a foreign national. This violated various statutes, including the actual contributions and many reporting requirements.  The defendants raised a host of challenges: jurisdictional (Congress can reach to a mayoral race), constitutional (first amendment), intent (general or specific), and sufficiency of the evidence. The 9^th examined the use of “willfully” in 52 U.S.C. § 30121, and held that it was a general intent offense.  As for falsifying information, the 9^th held there was sufficient evidence. It did vacate one conviction (count 37) for insufficient evidence.  The 9^th found no evidentiary errors, jury instructions, nor IAC.  It affirmed too the conviction of a firearm possession by an immigrant visa holder. The case is remanded for resentencing for the one vacation of conviction.
 

The decision is here:

http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2019/05/16/17-50337.pdf