Smoking has been banned from the building although the two activities it used to cloud, lobbying and political arm-twisting, remain.

And it is also emblematic of the changes that have transformed the old lobbying arts of political arm-twisting into a more populist enterprise.

"It reeks of political arm-twisting," Mr. Felos said.

Whether Amfac's corporate overhaul reflects political arm-twisting is unclear, Mr. Bureker said.

That makes it all the more deplorable that political arm-twisting and favors for judges can influence the choices for counsels.

The activity illuminates the new populist cast to political arm-twisting.

Mr. Vallone insists the merits of his plan will persuade members without political arm-twisting.

The Awacs sale was concluded only after months of political arm-twisting by the Administration.

Jerusalem is a special place, and no amount of political arm-twisting or salesmanship can change that.

So the civilian police commission was granted greater autonomy in the hope that its choice would then be based purely on the merits rather than political arm-twisting.