> I'm taking as an axiom that some amount of bribery (tribute, really) had to be done

It didn't.

> In that lens, this bribery, while bad, is the least destructive form it could have taken.

Its not.

> It being so gaudy actually helps this case.

It doesn't.

Normalizing corruption to this level is a bad thing. Period.

The people engaging in this should be in prison. Including Trump.