Nute Gunray argues that everything he does is legal and he also states that he would not do anything without the approval of the senate, when saying this he is talking about the trade blockade, not the invasion. If proof could be shown to the senate that the trade federation had began an invasion of the planet, the republic would intervene, but the senate could not be convinced. Gunray and the trade federation had a presence in the senate and were even accused of taking part in bureaucracy.