Sadly, it’s so quotidian as to hardly be newsworthy at all. Chicago has, for the 40th year running, been named the most corrupt major city in the U. S.:
The Windy City has kept its crown as the most corrupt major city in the country over the last 40 years. But Houston is starting to give Chicago a run for its money.
According to new research released today by University of Illinois at Chicago political science professor Dick Simpson, there were 45 convictions for public corruption in 2013 (the latest year available) in the U.S. court district that covers the Chicago area. That’s way, way above the 19 convictions in Los Angeles and 13 in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan). But Houston had far and away the most pols convicted on federal corruption charges in 2013, with 83.
Since the U.S. Department of Justice began to collect data in 1976, Chicago’s Northern District of Illinois, which includes Chicago, Cook County and 17 other counties, has had 1,642 convictions, according to Simpson. That compares with 1,316 in LA and 1,260 in the New York district, which includes Manhattan, the Bronx and six other counties.
But the area—thankfully—lags a bit when the data are measured state by state. Between 1976 and 2013, New York state had 2,657 federal public corruption convictions, California 2,549 and Illinois “only” 1,982.
If it makes you feel better, Simpson notes that on a per capita basis, Illinois is in seventh place. The District of Columbia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alaska, and North and South Dakota rank higher than Illinois.
Astonishingly, to my certain knowledge Chicago is less corrupt today than it was twenty years ago. But that should give you the general idea. Also, don’t draw too many conclusions from those 45 convictions. Those are just the ones who were caught and convicted. There are many more who were caught and not convicted. And the name of those who are corrupt but never caught is legion.
This fact about Chicago should but won’t be taken as proof positive of several things. First, single party rule is inherently corrupting. Second, activist government is inherently corrupting. Third, there is no easy solution for Chicago’s problems.
It’s little wonder that Chicago Democrats are opposed to mass incarceration.
