The act of a clerk accepting money to destroy or conceal citations is a violation of the Penal Code.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only if the citations were real
• D. Only if a judge is aware

Answer: (A)

Taking money to destroy or conceal official citations shows a public officer accepting a bribe in exchange for altering how records are kept or presented. This corrupt act directly undermines the integrity of the legal process, which is why it is punishable under the Penal Code. The illegality does not depend on whether the citations are real or whether a judge is aware—the act itself, of accepting payment to commit or conceal an improper act, is a crime.