 In 1971 , Stern wrote that the Hobbs Act was " one of the major statutes under which the federal government can combat local political corruption where the state is either unable or unwilling to do so , " citing the Travel Act as the " other major statute . " In 1977 , Charles Ruff wrote that the Hobbs Act " has become the principal vehicle for this rapidly expanding federal effort . " Ruff describes Stern 's article as " [ t ] he only detailed analysis of the problem before the recent flood of cases . " By 1977 , the Third Circuit 's interpretation in Kenny had been adopted by the First , Second , Fourth , Seventh , Eighth , and Tenth Circuits . The Fifth , Sixth , and Ninth Circuits followed suit by 1986 . Some commentators have argued that the Hobbs Act should not be interpreted to reach public corruption at all . 
