bribery

The Backroom Deals That Rigged the System: A History of American CorruptionIntroduction (170 words) From the smoky backrooms of 19th-century saloons to the marble corridors of today’s power centers, American democracy has long been accompanied by shadowy bargains, influence peddling, and outright bribery. Political junkies and history students who peel back the glossy veneer of civic ritual find a recurring pattern: private interests colluding with public officials to bend laws, redirect resources, and entrench elites….