slush fund

noun

1. a sum of money used for illicit or corrupt political purposes, as for buying influence.

2. Nautical.,  a fund from the sale of slush, refuse fat, etc., spent for any small luxuries.

slush fund

noun

1. a fund for financing political or commercial corruption

2. nautical a fund accumulated from the sale of slush from the galley

slush fund

1. A collection of money by a political official or administration that is used to make payments for various services. Though slush funds may be used for legitimate purposes, such as paying state employees, the term is generally used to describe money that is not properly accounted for and is being used for personal expenses and political payoffs. Money raised for political campaigns has come under increasing public scrutiny to ensure that it is not misused.

Word History and Origins

Origin of slush fund¹

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

On Aug. 1, federal prosecutors filing a legal brief alleging that taxpayer funds from the county went into a slush fund held by a shell company to help pay for its illegal activities.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

County, where the company won a $282-million contract for the 2020 election, Smartmatic executives used county money to create the same type of slush fund, according to the Aug. 1 filing.

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Rather, they’ve ginned up accusations that the bureau had used legal settlements to accumulate a “slush fund” — meaning its Civil Penalty Fund — to “provide unaccountable funding to leftist nonprofits.”

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Jeff Bezos similarly has tasked Amazon with making a 40 million dollar documentary about Melania Trump as a token of his appreciation as well as a million dollar donation to the inauguration slush fund.

Read more on Salon

Then came the revelations of the slush funds scandal, with dozens of LDP lawmakers accused of pocketing proceeds from political fundraising events.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• graft 
• hush money