If a contractor pays a public servant to build a substandard building, what can they be charged with?

When a contractor pays a public servant to build a substandard building, the act typically constitutes bribery. Bribery involves offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting something of value to influence the actions of an official in their official capacity. In this scenario, the contractor is attempting to influence the public servant’s decision-making in constructing a building that does not meet established standards, thereby compromising the integrity of the process and endangering public safety.

This action not only undermines trust in public institutions but also violates laws designed to maintain ethical conduct in government. The exchange incentivizes the public servant to prioritize the contractor’s interests over the welfare of the community, which is the core of bribery.

Other potential charges, such as fraud, negligence, or corruption, may seem applicable but do not encapsulate the specific nature of this scenario as accurately as bribery does. Fraud would involve deception to gain something of value but does not necessarily involve the direct exchange of money to influence a public servant's action. Negligence pertains to a failure to take proper care in doing something, which does not apply directly to the act of bribing. Corruption implies a broader range of unethical or dishonest behavior within public office, but in this case, brib