I wonder if serious financial donations would buy me leeway with the elders.
Sometimes. I have posted elsewhere about a personal experience I had. I mentioned one time long ago that I wished to marry. I was told, "Don't get married. Just purchase the services of a hooker. When you get back home tell the elders you made a mistake in a moment of "weakness" and make a large $$$ contribution to the local congregation. You will get off."
The guy that said that was doing just that, and got away with it, was promoted through the ranks and is now an elder who is still a drunk, and messing around on his second wife.