If a bill passes under coersion and intimidation, is there legal recourse?

[shance]

Regarding CAFTA, if it is true Tom Delay snuck a 1.5 billion dollar package in the bill, along with other corporate donors intimidating and threatening Congressional leaders to vote for the bill or lose any political contributions, along with some Republicans holding up a highway bill until a Republican voted yes for Cafta,

Does this sound like a legitimate vote that is taken under such threats and duress, not to mention jamming other self-gratifying provisions in at the last minute?

[wli]

1. is it time for a 100 million man march yet?

Half a million is nowhere near enough to sway these bastards.

[finecraft]

2. I thought he snuck the 1.5 billion in the energy bill

Did he sneak another 1.5 billion into CAFTA? wouldn't surprise me.

[shance]

3. It could be the Energy bill. I've been hearing about both bills today

and I could have misunderstood.

With that said, you could say the issue still stands as to what legal recourse is there when certain Congressional lawmakers violate their position by adding and altering legislation without the approval, consent or knowledge of all legislators voting.

[Fiona]

4. No

there's no recourse.

The vote is the vote, regardless of how it got there.

[Gman]

5. It's called "Politics"

and it can be rough and tumble sometimes.

[Robbien]

6. In the old America that would be illegal

But it is almost common practice now.

Just as it is also illegal to "pay for play" but that is the standardly accepted way of doing business now.

Just as it is illegal to have a monopoly.

and so on

The recourse would be for us to charge the criminals and try them.

Ha!