Wiktionary
n. a type of corruption in which people use their connections with governments to gain favors or preferential treatment for a third party, usually in return for money.
Wikipedia
Influence peddling is the illegal practice of using one's influence in government or connections with persons in authority to obtain favours or preferential treatment for another, usually in return for payment. Also called traffic of influence or trading in influence. In fact, influence peddling is not necessarily illegal as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has often used the term "undue influence peddling" to refer to illegal acts of lobbying. 1 However, influence peddling bears the stench of corruption that may de-legitimise democratic politics with the general public.
Usage examples of "influence peddling".
The implication of favoritism and influence peddling may adhere long after the gift itself is consigned to a closet shelf.
More subtle forms of influence peddling were required if those who believed in Dai-Roku were to maintain their positions and continue to build their wealth and -suzerainty.
Vietnamese politics is so inextricably bound up with influence peddling, selling your services to the highest bidder, and changing ideology at the hint of a coup that the word has lost all conventional meaning.