Illinois Corruption

Town Comptroller Pleads Not Guilty To Stealing $53 Million

AP | ROBERT RAY | Posted 05.07.2012

Read More: Illinois Politics, Paul Gaziano, Rita Crundwell Embezzlement, Rita Crundwell Illinois, Video, Rita Crundwell Dixon, Illinois Corruption, Illinois Official Stole Millions, Rita Crundwell Charged, Rita Crundwell, Illinois Crime, Chicago News

ROCKFORD, Ill. -- The former comptroller of a small northern Illinois city pleaded not guilty Monday to charges alleging she stole more than $53 milli...

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Feds Take Horses From City Bookkeeper Accused With Stealing Millions

AP | JASON KEYSER | Posted 05.05.2012

Read More: Video, Rita Crundwell Illinois, Rita Crundwell Dixon, Rita Crundwell Horses, Dixon Illinois, Illinois Corruption, Rita Crundwell Charged, Rita Crundwell, Dixon Illinois Scandal, Chicago News

CHICAGO -- The animals seized from a renowned horse breeder accused of using her day job as a city bookkeeper to steal millions in public funds have t...

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State Senate Votes To End Legislative Scholarships

AP | SHANNON MCFARLAND | Posted 05.03.2012

Read More: Illinois Senate Political Scholarships, Fred Crespo, Monique Davis, Illinois College, Pat Quinn, Illinois Corruption, Tuition Waivers, Illinois Legislative Scholarships End, Chicago News, Annazette Collins, Illinois Politics, Joni Finney, Illinois Legislative Scholarships, Illinois Senate Ends Political Scholarships, Illinois Political Scholarships, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Senate agreed Thursday to stop letting lawmakers hand out free college education to certain constituents, remov...

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Feds: Small Town Comptroller Actually Stole $53 Million

AP | Posted 05.02.2012

Read More: Video, Rita Crundwell Illinois, Rita Crundwell Horses, Rita Crundwell Dixon, Dixon Illinois, Illinois Corruption, Rita Crundwell Charged, Rita Crundwell, Dixon Illinois Scandal, Chicago News

DIXON, Ill. -- The former financial officer for the small northern Illinois city of Dixon stole millions of dollars more than originally thought, fede...

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Blago To Blame For Shady Jobs Program Spending?

AP | JOHN O'CONNOR | Posted 05.01.2012

Read More: Illinois Corruption, Ann Schneider, Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider, Illinois Jobs, Illinois Spending, Ann Schneider Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, Rod Blagojevich Jobs Program, Ann Schneider Blagojevich, Illinois Jobs Program Spending, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois' top transportation official said Monday she approved more than $3 million in questionable payments for a 2008 summ...

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Derrick Smith Pleads Not Guilty, Cries Entrapment At Arraignment Monday

Posted 04.30.2012

Read More: Derrick Smith Entrapment, Derrick Smith Corruption, Derrick Smith Bribe, Illinois Corruption, Derrick Smith Plea, Derrick Smith Arrested, Illinois Politics, Derrick Smith Illinois, Derrick Smith Arraignment, Derrick Smith Chicago, Chicago News

Updated story Derrick Smith, the Illinois state representative indicted last month on a federal corruption charge, will plead not guilty at his arr...

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Small Town Swindle Suspect Allegedly Spent Stolen Millions On Horses

AP | JASON KEYSER | Posted 04.27.2012

Read More: Video, Rita Crundwell Illinois, Rita Crundwell Dixon, Rita Crundwell Horses, Dixon Illinois, Illinois Corruption, Rita Crundwell Charged, Rita Crundwell, Dixon Illinois Scandal, Chicago News

DIXON, Ill. -- The small-town bookkeeper dazzled friends and co-workers with invitations to her immaculate horse ranch and home, where she displayed t...

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

Posted 04.10.2012

Read More: Video, Chicago Politics, Derrick Smith Indicted, Illinois Corruption, Chicago Corruption, Derrick Smith, Derrick Smith Arrested, Derrick Smith Jesse White, Jason Ervin, Derrick Smith Bribery, Jesse White, Derrick Smith Chicago, Chicago News

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...

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

Posted 04.09.2012

Read More: Beavers Mcdonalds Fundraiser, Chicago News, Bill Beavers Mcdonalds Fundraiser, Illinois Politics, William Beavers, Patrick Fitzgerald, Chicago Politics, William Beavers Corruption, Chicago Corruption, Illinois Corruption, William Beavers Indicted, US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, Slidepollajax, William Beavers Tax Charges, William Beavers Tax Fraud, Cook County Board of Commissioners, Chicago News

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. ...

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As Graduation Rates Plummeted, Ex-College Chief Cashed Out

| Patrick Rehkamp | Posted 03.30.2012

Read More: Wayne Watson City Colleges, Video, Chicago Politics, Illinois Corruption, Bga, Chicago Corruption, Chicago City Colleges, Wayne Watson, Better Government Association, Chicago News

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...

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Where In The World Is Derrick Smith?

Posted 03.29.2012

Read More: Chicago Politics, Derrick Smith Corruption, Video, Pat Quinn, Illinois Corruption, Derrick Smith, Elaine Nekritz, Derrick Smith Arrested, Illinois Politics, Derrick Smith Bribery, Jesse White, Chicago News

Derrick Smith, the Illinois state representative indicted early this month on a federal corruption charge has kept a low profile since both his arrest...

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In Illinois, College Can Be A Legislative Favor

AP | By CHRISTOPHER WILLS | Posted 05.28.2012

Read More: Fred Crespo, Monique Davis, Pat Quinn, Illinois College, Illinois Corruption, Tuition Waivers, Annazette Collins, Illinois Politics, Joni Finney, Illinois Legislative Scholarships, Illinois Political Scholarships, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Politicians love to talk about the importance of education. In Illinois, legislators go a step further and personally award schol...

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ANOTHER Illinois Politician Arrested

The Huffington Post | Jen Sabella | Posted 03.13.2012

Read More: Rickey Hendon, Derrick Smith Bribe, Illinois Corruption, Illinois Politician Arrested, Derrick Smith Arrested, Annazette Collins, Illinois Politics, Derrick Smith Illinois, Derrick Smith Chicago, Chicago News

Updated story With one former governor already in prison and another heading there this week, Illinois politicians have been warned to stop their c...

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Beavers Pleads Not Guilty On Tax Fraud Charges

Posted 03.03.2012

Read More: William Beavers Trial, Chicago Politics, Video, William Beavers Corruption, Patrick Fitzgerald, Cook County Politics, Illinois Corruption, Chicago Corruption, Bill Beavers, William Beavers, William Beavers Pleads Not Guilty, William Beavers Tax Fraud, Chicago News

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

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County Court Employee Allegedly A Gang Leader

Posted 03.02.2012

Read More: Robert Welch, Henderson Yarbrough, Maurice Henderson Cook County, Illinois Corruption, Dorothy Brown, Maurice Henderson Maywood, Maurice Henderson, Maywood Corruption, Chicago Gangs, Chicago Area Corruption, Maywood Illinois, Chicago News

Though he was identified by the Chicago Crime Commission as a leader of a powerful gang in its most recent "Gang Book," a clerk at the Cook County Cir...

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Beavers To Appear In Court Friday On Tax Fraud Charges

Posted 02.28.2012

Read More: William Beavers Corruption, Video, William Beavers Court Date, Illinois Corruption, Chicago Corruption, William Beavers Indicted, William Beavers Arraignment, William Beavers, William Beavers Tax Charges, Chicago News

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

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Relatives Of Lobbyists, Campaign Donors Got Lawmakers' Help To Enter U. Of I.

Chicago Tribune | Jodi S. Cohen, Stacy St. Clair and Todd Lighty, Chicago Tribune Reporters | Posted 02.25.2012

Read More: Illinois Education, Chicago Education, Illinois Corruption, Illinois Colleges, University of Illinois Clout, Chicago News

Politicians exerted their influence at the University of Illinois to boost admissions prospects for the relatives of lobbyists, fundraisers, a union l...

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Cook County Commissioner Indicted On Tax Charges

Posted 02.23.2012

Read More: Chicago Politics, William Beavers Corruption, Chicago Corruption, Illinois Corruption, William Beavers Indicted, Illinois Politics, William Beavers, William Beavers Tax Charges, William Beavers Tax Fraud, Cook County Board of Commissioners, Chicago News

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

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Corruption, And What to Do About It

Will Guzzardi | Posted 04.04.2012

Read More: Illinois Corruption, Corruption, Berrios Corruption, Toni Berrios, Chicago, Illinois, Toni Berrios Corruption, 39th District, Illinois State Representative, Chicago News

Too many of us, when we think about politics here in Illinois, roll our eyes and throw up our hands. We need to fundamentally change the way business is conducted. The way I see it, there are three important ways to do this.

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Judge Refuses Retrial For Former Powerbroker

AP | By MICHAEL TARM | Posted 01.24.2012

Read More: William Cellini Convicted, William Cellini Trial, Video, William Cellini Retrial, Illinois Corruption, Blagojevich Scandal, Illinois Politics, William Cellini, Chicago News

CHICAGO -- A federal judge denied a retrial Tuesday for longtime Illinois powerbroker William Cellini, rejecting arguments that he didn't get a fair t...

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Judges for Sale

Dick Simpson | Posted 03.21.2012

Read More: Bedsheet Ballot, Party Loyalty, Illinois Judges, Campaign Finance Reform, Terry Lavin, Illinois Corruption Tax, Illinois Corruption, Chicago News

Campaign contributions for judges undermine the credibility of the judicial system. Merit selection of judges would be better, but public funding would lessen corruption immediately.

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Epilogue: Will Politicos Learn From Blagojevich's Downfall?

Jack Conaty | Posted 02.08.2012

Read More: Rod Blagojevich Trial, Blagojevich Conviction, Rod Blagojevich, Illinois Corruption, Chicago Corruption, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, Chicago News

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.

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Blagojevich Adopts A Dog As Sentencing Hearing Nears

Posted 12.05.2011

Read More: Blagojevich Sentencing, Video, Blagojevich Sentence, Tony Rezko, Blagojevich, Rod Blagojevich, Illinois Corruption, Blagojevich Scandal, Blagojevich Corruption, Chicago News

With his sentencing hearing beginning Tuesday, convicted former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich spent his last free weekend quietly with his family ...

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Illinois Higher Education Floundering: Study

Posted 12.05.2011

Read More: University of Illinois, Illinois College Affordability, Illinois College, Pat Quinn, Rod Blagojevich, Illinois Corruption, Illinois College Access, George Ryan, Illinois Higher Education Problems, Illinois Higher Education, Chicago News

A study released last month by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education shows declining interest in higher education among Illinois ...

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Blagojevich's Law License Suspended By State High Court

AP | Posted 12.27.2011

Read More: Illinois Supreme Court, Blagojevich, Rod Blagojevich, Illinois Corruption, Blagojevich Law License, Blagojevich Law License Suspended, Political Corruption, Blagojevich Scandal, Illinois Politics, Video, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The Illinois Supreme Court has suspended convicted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's license to practice law. The court acted Wednes...

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