Chicago Called Most Corrupt City In Nation (Justice, Simpson: city hall, school)

[chubs]

CHICAGO (CBS) — A former Chicago alderman turned political science professor/corruption fighter has found that Chicago is the most corrupt city in the country.
He cites data from the U.S. Department of Justice to prove his case. And, he says, Illinois is third-most corrupt state in the country.
University of Illinois professor Dick Simpson estimates the cost of corruption at $500 million.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s John Cody Reports

It’s essentially a corruption tax on citizens who bear the cost of bad behavior (police brutality, bogus contracts, bribes, theft and ghost pay-rolling to name a few) and the costs needed to prosecute it.
“We first of all, we have a long history,” Simpson said. “The first corruption trial was in 1869 when alderman and county commissioners were convicted of rigging a contract to literally whitewash City Hall.”
Corruption, he said, is intertwined with city politics
“We have had machine politics since the Great Chicago Fire of 1871,” he said. “Machine politics breeds corruption inevitably.”
Simpson says Hong Kong and Sydney were two similarly corrupt cities that managed to change their ways. He says Chicago can too, but it will take decades.
He’ll be presenting his work before the new Chicago Ethics Task Force meeting tomorrow at City Hall.


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[radiojunkie2006]

How can this be? I don't believe a word!

[Chicago South Sider]

No surprises here. The residents wouldn't have it any other way. The school zone and red light cameras help to pay for all of this corruption.

[Chi-town Native]

What I'm always especially appalled at is how little it takes to bribe your average City worker.

[Chicago South Sider]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

What I'm always especially appalled at is how little it takes to bribe your average City worker.

I'm appaled at how sheepish the general popumation is. A good example is how easily you bought that lame explanation for installing those speed zone cameras.

[oddstray]

So he found a bunch of statistics that confirm what everyone has 'known' for generations. And that's called "news"?

Now if he'd found statistics to refute it, *that* would be news!

[Chicago60614]

They're looking at data going back the past ~40 years. I wonder how the rate of corruption went up or down from the 70's to today. I'm guessing it's at least a bit harder today since every media outlet and their mother is just DYING to find any corruption they can.

[Fish Taco64]

You mean a state that has it's last two governors in jail is corrupt? Shocking

[gomexico]

The "professor" has little experience outside of Chicago and lacks a basis for his comparisons. He's been a grandstander his entire career. Corrupt, yes. Is Chicago the "most corrupt." Hardly.