THESAURUS
wire pulling
Byzantine intrigues, artifice, backscratching, backstairs influence, behind-the-scenes influence, cabal, collusion, complicity, complot, confederacy, connections, connivance, conspiracy, contrivance, contriving, counterplot, covin, deals, deep-laid plot, devices, engineering, expedients, finagling, finesse, frame-up, game, games, influence, influence peddling, intrigue, intrigues, little game, lobbying, lobbyism, logrolling, machination, maneuvering, maneuvers, manipulation, plot, plotting, ploys, political influence, public opinion, rigging, ropes, scheme, schemery, schemes, scheming, social pressure, special-interest pressure, stratagem, strings, tactical maneuvers, tactics, trick, underplot, web of intrigue, wires
