Illinois--Louisiana of the North?
Today’s news about the arrest of Rod Blagojevich raises the question: Just how corrupt to you have to be to be governor of Illinois?
In addition to Blagojevich, the record is pretty amazing:
George Ryan ® 1998-2002: Currently serving time in federal prison for corruption.
Dan Walker (D) 1972-1976: Went to jail for 18 months after he was out of office for improper loans from a failed savings and loan.
Otto Kerner (D) 1960-1968: Went to prison for accepting bribes while governor.
William Stratton ® 1952-1960: Charged but acquitted on income tax evasion charges.
Len Small ® 1920-1928: Charged with embezzling state funds as Illinois treasurer, he was acquitted but the trial outcome was clouded by accusations of jury tampering.
Comments
Funny. Everyone goes on about the Chicago machine, but the Daley’s stay out of jail, and Chicago has become a world-class city. Maybe Springfield is the real problem.
Posted by: Chris D. | December 9, 2008 04:04 PM
As a native of Louisiana, I will argue that while our politicians are corrupt, none of them are this pitifully stupid.
What idiot doesn’t use code words to talk about money when there’s an active investigation on him?
Posted by: Brian Arbour | December 9, 2008 05:44 PM
“What idiot doesn’t use code words to talk about money when there’s an active investigation on him?”
The Illinois-democrat kind of idiot, which is an admittedly rare breed. Pretty much all serious players in Illinois politics are raised in the Chicago-style machine politics (a la Daley), in which it is superfluous to conceal greed and corruption. At least it was superfluous until Peter Fitzgerald showed up.
As someone who was born and raised in Illinois and lived there for almost forty years, let me assure you that no one is more surprised by this than Blagojevich. He simply didn’t consider it a realistic possibility. What that political culture says about our future President, I’ll leave for others to debate.
Posted by: Nathan | December 9, 2008 06:21 PM
I prefer to think of Illinois as the New York or New Jersey of the Midwest.
Posted by: Jim Garand | December 9, 2008 07:12 PM
Hey, all of a sudden “charged but acquitted” is considered a bad thing? Next you’re gonna be telling me that Oliver North just got off on a technicality…
Posted by: Andrew Gelman | December 9, 2008 10:47 PM
Jim—
Now that I’m living in New Jersey, and working in New York, I’m starting to think that this corruption thing is my fault. I’m involved with your state, your politicians are corrupt.
Not sure what the causal mechanism is, though.
Posted by: Brian Arbour | December 10, 2008 02:35 PM