 In Dixson v. United States ( 1984 ) , the Court held that , under the federal bribery and gratuity statute , the definition of a " public official " includes anyone in a " position of public trust with official federal responsibilities , " including for example the employees of a non @-@ profit that administers a federal block housing grant . The term " official act " is limited to acts which are performed within the scope of the official 's employment . It is no defense that the official action was otherwise meritorious . 
