I don’t necessarily mean accepting a bribe, but rather something like, say, a city councilman successfully pressuring a police officer not to charge him when the cop has caught him in the commission of a crime. What would be the name of the criminal offense?
I don’t know what the criminal charge would be.
I’m fairly sure that graft is the accepting (or soliciting) of bribes.
Malfeasence.
I just recently learned this actually:
In a position of trust:
Nonfeasence - Not doing what you’re supposed to.
Misfeasence - Screwing up what you’re supposed to do.
Malfeasence - Intentionally doing stuff you’re not supposed to / acting in bad faith.
A Blagoyeur, perhaps?
I think Transparency International would call this straight-up corruption, and an official engaged in it a corrupt public official. From their website: http://www.transparency.org/news_room/faq/corruption_faq#faqcorr1
I thought of corruption, but I was looking for a legal term. “Because he used his position as governor to shield himself from a legitimate criminal investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Skald the Rhymer was today convicted of charges including ____________.”
“oppression under color of office” has a nice ring to it.
I have found the answer, for Tennessee at least; it’s “official misconduct.”
Business as usual?
SOP
Incumbency.
finagling
Abuse of office is another legal term for this.
Corruption.
Influence peddling.
I vote for this one, combined with abuse of influence. (Any person can interfere with police procedures and commit obstruction, but I think it is the closest.
Q. “What’s the term for a public official abusing his office for personal gain?”
A. Politics.