stretch the rules

This is a checkerboard constructed on its own terms, paid for by revanchist billionaires, and we keep trying to stretch the rules of the game to cover it.

While the regulations around campaigning have become ever murkier in the age of social media, the Riseborough campaign was hardly the first to stretch the rules, which forbid, among other things, mentioning competitors or their films directly or calling academy members personally.

And plenty of opportunity to stretch the rules beyond their intent.

“If we had a reputation for sound economic management, we might be able to stretch the rules a touch, but at the moment, markets have very little faith in U.K. leadership, and they will be watching us like hawks,” he said.

The cascade of investigations was a sign that the company “was already on the dark side” when Weisselberg started working there, D’Antonio said, suggesting a willingness to stretch the rules may have been a job expectation.