Woman accused of bribe for ERA on trial in Illinois

The trial of a woman accused of trying to bribe a legislator to vote for the Equal Rights Amendment began Monday, with defense attorneys presenting a motion for dismissal. They say the woman, a field worker for the National Organization for Women, was merely offering the lawmaker a legal campaign contribution. Calling the case "a selective, malmotivated, unreasonable prosecution of an ordinary citizen who allegedly did forthrightly what others do covertly," they say the trial may simply be "a ploy used to defeat the ERA."