Proud of our Illinois Governors

[zdxlc9p6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zdxlc9p6]

Ill. Gov. arrested in Obama successor probe.
Ill. Gov. arrested in Obama successor probe - Yahoo! News
Our previous Governor is in prison, and past Governors have been imprisoned or charged with crimes.

[GeoPatSK Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close GeoPatSK]

You are not alone.
I am from Connecticut. Our Ex-Governor was release from jail over the summer. Two local Mayors are still in prison. And last week another Mayor was implicated in another scandal.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

I think Rowland was out long before the summer as I run into him a few times every year (and did so just last Sunday).

[BWolf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWolf]

In the old days, the Illinois governors were corrupt, but they knew how to get away with it. These younger guys just don't know the ins-and-outs of playing the game. Call it the dumbing-down of America.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

In the old days, the Illinois governors were corrupt, but they knew how to get away with it. These younger guys just don't know the ins-and-outs of playing the game. Call it the dumbing-down of America.

So true. They could throw Presidential election without leaving such messes such as hanging chads. It's actually quite simple to do as long as you don't insist that the number of votes counted in a precinct be no greater than the number of voters registered who actually show up at the polling place and that voters issued death certificates be regarded as ineligible to vote.

I think the tradition has passed on to the west. In Washington, we've mastered the art of suddenly finding missing bags of ballots. After the election, for security purposes the machines and ballots are stored under lock and key, with signatures and observers required to access the secured.

But lookie! Here's a previously uncounted bag of ballots we discovered two weeks after Election Day that wasn't stored in the secure area. I guess someone made a mistake so we better get those ballots into storage and get them added to the tally. And wouldn't you know it - Two-thirds of the ballots in that bag all went to one of the candidates!

[BWolf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWolf]

So true. They could throw Presidential election without leaving such messes such as hanging chads. It's actually quite simple to do as long as you don't insist that the number of votes counted in a precinct be no greater than the number of voters registered who actually show up at the polling place and that voters issued death certificates be regarded as ineligible to vote.

I think the tradition has passed on to the west. In Washington, we've mastered the art of suddenly finding missing bags of ballots. After the election, for security purposes the machines and ballots are stored under lock and key, with signatures and observers required to access the secured.

But lookie! Here's a previously uncounted bag of ballots we discovered two weeks after Election Day that wasn't stored in the secure area. I guess someone made a mistake so we better get those ballots into storage and get them added to the tally. And wouldn't you know it - Two-thirds of the ballots in that bag all went to one of the candidates!

Ah, your story reminds me of the joke about the first "voting machine" election to be held in the Soviet Union. The Soviet's wanted to be as modern as anyone else, so they bought voting machines from a company in the greater Chicagoland area and first used them in the Moscow Mayoral election.

One half hour after the polls closed, the official spokesperson emerged to tell the press, "It's a miracle. Mayor Daley has won by 400,000 votes!"

[marsha7 Member Find all posts View Profile Close marsha7]

And than they want to pardon him (Ryan). I'm beginning to believe my first impression of politicians, was the right one. They are all crooked.

Marsha

[pranas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pranas]

In the old days, the Illinois governors were corrupt, but they knew how to get away with it. These younger guys just don't know the ins-and-outs of playing the game. Call it the dumbing-down of America.

Probably true, but I think the better technology that is avaliable today plays a major role.

[zdxlc9p6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zdxlc9p6]

From a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice –
Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents on federal corruption charges alleging that they and others are engaging in ongoing criminal activity: conspiring to obtain personal financial benefits for Blagojevich by leveraging his sole authority to appoint a United States Senator; threatening to withhold substantial state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of Wrigley Field to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members sharply critical of Blagojevich; and to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions – both historically and now in a push before a new state ethics law takes effect January 1, 2009.

Blagojevich, 51, and Harris, 46, both of Chicago, were each charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. They were charged in a two-count criminal complaint that was sworn out on Sunday and unsealed today following their arrests, which occurred without incident, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District 2 of Illinois, and Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

[jgtragesser Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jgtragesser]

Whaaat a country!!!...

Is this the land of opportunity or what???...

The previous Illinois governor is still in jail and the current governor is under arrest!!!... it brings tears to your eyes...

Joe Tragesser

[zdxlc9p6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zdxlc9p6]

Don't forget about Otto Kerner (became a Federal judge) and Dan Walker who were imprisoned in the past.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

Although I don't like to compare the worse, but based on USAToday (North Dakota tops analysis of corruption - USATODAY.com), your state is only rank 18th in all USA 50 state in the corruption list

On a per-capita basis, however, Illinois ranks 18th for the number of public corruption convictions the federal government has won from 1998 through 2007, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Department of Justice statistics.

Louisiana, Alaska and North Dakota all fared worse than the Land of Lincoln in that analysis.

I thought Wall Street or Washington DC is rank #1. Guess I am too far from reality.

Jya-Ning

[zdxlc9p6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zdxlc9p6]

"If it isn't the most corrupt state in the United States (Illinois)it's certainly one hell of a competitor," Robert Grant, head of the FBI's Chicago office, said Tuesday.

[BWolf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWolf]

Most corrupt: Illinois Democrats

2nd most corrupt: Illinois Republicans

3rd most corrupt: Illinois Independents

;-)

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

A key factor that sets apart corrupt Illinois politicians from corrupt politicians in other states is an infusion of good old-fashioned Midwestern morality and decency.

When you buy Illinois politicians and judges, they stay bought. In other parts of the country, politician and judges often continue to sell themselves off to the higher bidders.

If you live in Illinois, you've got to appreciate that.