Agreements which tend in any way to injure the public service are clearly, against public policy and void. Under this heading would come all contracts which will tend to interfere with the freedom of elections,39 or impropely influence the appointment of any parties to a public office,40 and also all lobbying contracts.41 A contract by which a party is hired to appear and argue a matter before a legislative body or committee is, however, a valid contract.

Any special contract which a party makes with a public official for the doing of some act by the officer in his official capacity, even if the act is not illegal, is void, as tending to interfere with the unbiased exercise of his office, and therefore to interfere with the efficiency of the public service.42 This rule will not, however, prohibit him from taking a bond of indemnity.