That's pretty lame, "The rich can buy a verdict." Even if that were true, that would be a bug not a feature.
"world of equal opportunity were individual work and merit make all the difference"
straw man
Since the rich also have undue influence on the design of the laws and the general running of society, that's a feature (for them), not a bug.
Besides, even if it was "a bug, not a feature" of the legal system, unless it could magically or otherwise go away, it would still be had to be taken into account.
>*straw man
You can find pretty much the same statement expressed in all kinds of books, articles, political speeches, and interviews. At best with very small caveats.
A strawman, on the other hand, is supposed to be something that nobody ever says.