Bribery is the offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of something of value in order to influence the actions of a person who holds a public or legal duty (often someone in public office or government). To prove the crime of bribery, the prosecution must demonstrate that there was a quid pro quo exchange in which the recipient (public official) changed or altered his behavior in exchange for the gift (bribe). The quid pro quo relationship between the gift given and the action taken must be clear and direct. For this reason, campaign donations to political candidates generally do not constitute bribery.

In Wyoming, bribery of a public official is considered a serious offense. The state statutes define bribery as offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting anything of value to influence the actions of a public servant in relation to their official duties. Wyoming law is in line with the general principle that to establish bribery, there must be a clear quid pro quo – a direct exchange where the public official's actions are influenced by the thing of value received. This means that the intent to influence and the understanding that the official's actions will be affected by the bribe must be proven. It's important to note that while campaign contributions are a form of giving something of value to a public official, they are not considered bribery under federal or state law as long as they comply with campaign finance regulations and there is no explicit agreement that the contributions are in exchange for specific official actions. Violations of bribery laws can result in severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment, and are prosecuted under both state and federal law, depending on the jurisdiction and the specifics of the offense.