Mafia term for "paying tribute" to the Mafia Don or Chosen One. These are mandatory voluntary payments to assure the underling or minion knows their duty is to
tithe and pay homage in the form of riches to the Chosen One. A model easily adapted to business and politics.
Kicking up is much more lucrative than a kickback since it clearly instructs not
only one's minions but everyone what the rules for doing business are.
Pence and
Barr realized even the role of enforcers were not enough, to
curry favor with their
political boss since this would add little to his wealth. They would have to start kicking up to advertise the fact that they also had to humiliate themselves by going out of their way to frequent his businesses.