# Should Sestak Squeal?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-sestak-squeal/540604>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 24, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-sestak-squeal/540604 "2010-05-24T18:53:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 7

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**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-sestak-squeal/540604/7 "2010-05-24T19:30:09Z")

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> [@Ravenman](#):
>
> FWIW, I looked up the Federal bribery statute, and in general, it tends to involve some sort of payment in exchange for an “official act.”
> 
> My uninformed opinion is that if Sestak had been promised an appointment in exchange for a vote on some issue, there might be a problem. But I wouldn’t call “deciding not to run for office” an official act of a congressman. I don’t think a “political act” is the same as an “official act.”

I agree. And so far as I can determine, there is no law that would forbid offering an appointed job to a person with the intent of removing him as a candidate for an elected position. That’s called “strategy.”

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