Chicago’s Corruption Tax

A new study has been released by the University of Illinois in conjunction with the Better Government Association that details Cook County’s disgusting history of political ne'er-do-wells calling it a true “culture of corruption.” (Download .pdf of report)

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“More than 140 people have been convicted of corruption in county-related cases since 1970,” the study finds. Featured are tales of bribes, ghost payrolls, sweetheart deals, rip-offs, and the “wholesale subversion of the judicial system.”

“This rogue’s gallery of corrupt individuals is just the tip of the iceberg,” said the BGA’s Andy Shaw, “because, for every one of those convicted, there may be a dozen or more people who narrowly escape the justice system, not to mention all the clout-related conflicts of interest. It is truly a ‘culture of corruption.’”

Sadly, it doesn’t seem to be getting any better, but kudos to the BGA for publishing the study. It goes to show how much of a failure our county government is.