What's This Called Again?

In my first "Blue's News" entry yesterday, in the story about CAFTA (the Central American Free Trade Agreement), I quoted the Washington Post story which quoted Thomas J. Donahue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It seems the business community is getting a little antsy about getting CAFTA passed. Donahue was quoted as saying,

"If you [lawmakers] are going to vote against it, it's going to cost you."

This sounded pretty disturbing to me, but I'm no lawyer. Seeing the Forest pointed out the relevant statute. It's U.S. Code, Title 18, Part I, Chapter 11, Section 201: Bribery of public officials and witnesses...

(b) Whoever--

(1) directly or indirectly, corruptly gives, offers or promises
anything of value to any public official or person who has been
selected to be a public official, or offers or promises any public
official or any person who has been selected to be a public official
to give anything of value to any other person or entity, with
intent--

(A) to influence any official act;

Bribery! Oh yeah, that's what it's called!

| +Save/Share | |