Machiavellian Rasputin Svengali VIP access bad influence behind-the-scenes operator big wheel court eminence grise finagler five-percenter friend at court gamesman good influence gray eminence heavyweight hidden hand influence influence peddler influencer ingroup key lobby lobbyist logroller lords of creation machinator man of influence manipulator open sesame operator pork-barrel politician powers that be pressure group sinister influence special interests special-interest group strategist the Establishment very important person wheeler-dealer wire-puller