Pay-to-play

Attempts by municipal bond underwriting businesses to gain influence with political officials who decide which underwriters are awarded the municipality's business.

Pay-to-Play

A practice in which a politician encourages monetary contributions in exchange for benefits for an individual or company. Paying to play may involve outright bribery, but it usually refers to more subtle payments. For example, an insurance company may make large contributions to a politician re-election war chest and the politician may then be inclined to vote in the insurance company's interest. Paying to play is often in a legal gray area. See also: Campaign Finance, Campaign Finance Reform.

Mentioned in

quid pro quo

References in periodicals archive

But several of the biggest proposed changes, an outright ban on campaign donations and solicitation by lobbyists and a prohibition on donations from state contractors, a so-called pay-to-play ban already adopted in seven other states, was set aside by House leaders.

Reformers target `pay-to-play' ethos; Campaign fundraising under scrutiny

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