Graft in American politics refers to the acquisition of money or position through dishonest means. Examples of graft by an officeholder include accepting money for political favors and awarding government contracts to firms in which the officeholder has an interest. Some officials place unqualified relatives and friends on the government payroll in exchange for part of their salary or their campaign support. Corrupt big-city parties, commonly called machines, are sometimes associated with graft on a large scale.
