I'm not sure what you can do legally, IANAL, etc. But do you really want to? Getting embroiled in a legal mess probably isn't worth it, in any case. I believe

I'm not sure what you can do legally, IANAL, etc. But do you really want to? Getting embroiled in a legal mess probably isn't worth it, in any case. I believe you did learn a valuable lesson in how to operate within a company, though. You will be faced scenarios like this many times in your career. It constitutes part of the politics of the workplace. Like most people, I went through a similar learning process. When you're younger, you tend to let your passions dictate more of your overt actions. As you get older, you see how the game is played and learn how to choose your battles. I know it sounds a bit cynical, and it probably is, but being around to fight another day (assuming that you believe that you're someone who can have a positive impact) makes it worth it.