be on the take

To be accepting bribes. I hope that no officers in our department are on the take. Everyone knows that the majority of politicians are on the take. That's the reason the biggest corporations have the greatest influence on the legislation. A: "You really think people on the school board are on the take?" B: "Some of them, yeah. Don't be naïve."

be on the ˈtake

(informal) accept money from somebody for helping them in a dishonest or illegal way: It now seems that some of the officials were on the take, accepting bribes and then issuing fake passports.