Chicago Corruption

Indicted Lawmaker Has A New (Democratic) Challenger

Posted 05.14.2012

A 40-year-old finance attorney has thrown his hat into the ring as a possible successor to indicted Illinois state representative Derrick Smith. La...

PHOTOS: Chicago's Most Notorious Tax Fraudsters

Posted 04.17.2012

Considering Chicago's reputation as home to the nation's largest concentration of corrupt elected officials, it is not terribly surprising that the Se...

Alderman: Arrested State Rep Should 'Get Back To Work' Or Resign

Posted 04.10.2012

A Chicago alderman urged indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith (D-Chicago) to either "get back to work" or to resign following a federal corruption charge...

Embattled County Official Holding McDonald's Fundraiser To Pay Legal Bills

Posted 04.09.2012

A Cook County official facing federal tax-evasion charges is reportedly holding a fundraiser at a Navy Pier McDonald's to help cover his legal costs. ...

As Graduation Rates Plummeted, Ex-College Chief Cashed Out

2012-03-30-BGA.jpg | Patrick Rehkamp | Posted 03.30.2012

This story is courtesy of the Better Government Association As graduation rates were bottoming out at the City Colleges of Chicago in 2009, then-Ch...

Beavers Pleads Not Guilty On Tax Fraud Charges

Posted 03.03.2012

Shortly after embattled Cook County Commissioner William Beavers pleaded not guilty to tax fraud charges Friday, he lashed out against U.S. Attorney P...

Beavers To Appear In Court Friday On Tax Fraud Charges

Posted 02.28.2012

The arraignment of Cook County Commissioner William Beavers, who stands accused of tax fraud, has been rescheduled for 3 p.m. Friday. Beavers, 77, ...

PHOTOS: Corruption In Illinois Through The Years

Posted 02.25.2012

On Thursday, Cook County Commissioner William Beavers was indicted Thursday on allegations of tax fraud. While the news made a few front pages the fol...

Cook County Commissioner Indicted On Tax Charges

Posted 02.23.2012

Cook County Commissioner William Beavers was indicted Thursday on allegations of tax fraud. The Chicago Tribune reports that Beavers, 77, allegedly...

Chicago Deserves a Political Makeover

Alonso Zaragoza | Posted 04.22.2012

Alonso Zaragoza

Nepotism and patronage might have been useful in old Chicago, but they have no place in today's society.

Changing Our Corrupt City's Course

Dick Simpson | Posted 04.17.2012

Dick Simpson

Unless Chicagoans give a damn, we will never have the votes at the ballot box or in the city council to end the endemic cultural of corruption which has plagued this city since the first public corruption convictions in 1869.

Official Gets Sarcastic 'Valentine' From Political Opponent

Posted 02.15.2012

Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, who has said on multiple occasions that he hires his family members and does not feel bad about doing so, received a...

The Most Corrupt City In America?

Posted 02.23.2012

As our former governor prepares to head west to begin his prison sentence, Chicago was given the unfortunate title of "most corrupt" city in America i...

Blagojevich Heading To Colorado For Prison

Posted 02.15.2012

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will report to prison in exactly one month -- and has apparently decided to head west. Sources told the C...

Reforming Chicago's City Government

Keith Koeneman | Posted 03.12.2012

Keith Koeneman

The Chicago City Council has tended to suffer from a rather poor reputation. With that in mind, it seems appropriate for Chicagoans to put forth a modest proposal for reforming our city government.

Epilogue: Will Politicos Learn From Blagojevich's Downfall?

Jack Conaty | Posted 02.08.2012

Jack Conaty

Are longer prison terms the antidote to political corruption in this state? Will that be the legacy of the three-year Blagojevich spectacle? All that remains to be seen.

Toothless Watchdog Won't Scare Anyone

Emily J. Miller | Posted 01.14.2012

Emily J. Miller

Rahm Emanuel is pulling on the leash of City Hall's legally designated watchdog, and that could undermine the new mayor's pledge to make his administration more open, honest and accountable.

County Doctor Gets Big Payout For No Work

NBC Chicago | Posted 01.11.2012

A former Stroger Hospital doctor was given checks amounting to six figures with no work to show for it, an NBC Chicago / Better Government Association...

Rahm Emanuel Is Following Daley's Playbook From 1989

Keith Koeneman | Posted 12.19.2011

Keith Koeneman

I am a fan of the vigorous new mayor of Chicago, but the last five months have given me a certain sense of déjà vu.

Inspector General: Rahm Picking Up Where Daley Left Off

Posted 09.19.2011

A letter issued Tuesday by Inspector General Joe Ferguson says that with regard to a number of ethics-related investigations, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is no...

Why the Blagojevich Verdict Matters

Paul Dailing | Posted 08.28.2011

Paul Dailing

Monday was a good day, even if there are still power plays, shady deals and more money shuffling through Springfield and Chicago each day than through a Vegas casino. A man who thought he was too powerful to be caught was caught.

Chicago Democrat Fires 53 Employees, Hires Friends And Family

Posted 05.25.2011

Even before he won the Cook County Assessor seat, Democrat Joe Berrios was taking Cook County nepotism to a whole new level. While most government wor...

Three Hired Truck Firms Paid To Clear Snow After Blizzard

Chicago Sun-Times | Posted 05.25.2011

The blizzard of costs to clean up Chicago's third-largest snowstorm is starting to pile up -- with $8 million in emergency contracts awarded in just o...

Convicted But Still On The City Payroll

Chicago Sun-Times | Posted 05.25.2011

Chicago, the city that works, is also the city that keeps on paying city employees long after they're convicted of corruption. Nine former city emplo...

One Blagojevich Too Many

Matt Farmer | Posted 05.25.2011

Matt Farmer

It's time for the feds to cut Robert Blagojevich loose. Let the man get back to Tennessee and reclaim what remains of his old life.