When is "Bribe" a Euphemism?

When it is used to describe the shady dealings that led Representative "Duke" Cunningham to resign in disgrace from his congressional seat.

If I am the inside man in congress who can write into law millions of dollars of defense contracts for my friends' phony companies, then they turn around and share this ill-gotten taxpayer money with me, is that what we mean by a "bribe"?

Cunningham has admitted to receiving $2.4 million or so in such "bribes." But where did this money come from? Was it private-sector wealth generated legitimately by those who "bribed" him with it?

Not really. This was cash that came straight out of the Treasury--coffers filled by the income taxes of you and I and your mother's mother--through appropriations to the Pentagon to flimsy "consulting" and "software" companies which appear to be little more than the private estates of those involved--which includes the congresspersons who were in on this scheme.

Again, is this "bribery" as we usually mean the term? Or has bribery, amazingly, become a media euphemism for grand public larceny on a massive scale?