Corrupt Illinois

Download or read book Corrupt Illinois written by Thomas J. Gradel and published by University of Illinois Press. This book was released on 2015-02-15 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Public funds spent on jets and horses. Shoeboxes stuffed with embezzled cash. Ghost payrolls and incarcerated ex-governors. Illinois' culture of "Where's mine?" and the public apathy it engenders has made our state and local politics a disgrace. In Corrupt Illinois, veteran political observers Thomas J. Gradel and Dick Simpson take aim at business-as-usual. Naming names, the authors lead readers through a gallery of rogues and rotten apples to illustrate how generations of chicanery have undermined faith in, and hope for, honest government. From there, they lay out how to implement institutional reforms that provide accountability and eradicate the favoritism, sweetheart deals, and conflicts of interest corroding our civic life. Corrupt Illinois lays out a blueprint to transform our politics from a pay-to-play–driven marketplace into what it should be: an instrument of public good.

Download or read book Only in Chicago written by Natasha Korecki and published by Agate Publishing. This book was released on 2012-09-01 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "As the circus of the Blagojevich saga unfolded, Natasha Korecki was right at the center.... It was a seriocomedy suited to her enterprise and imagination, and she’s the one to write the book." —Roger Ebert "Natasha Korecki's chronicle of the Blagojevich saga was a cutting-edge lesson in how to blend old-fashioned reporting with new media." —Richard Roeper Chicago, Illinois, and America at large were captivated by the arrest, trial, and general public embarrassment of Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. Only in Chicago is derived from the best of award-winning Chicago Sun-Times reporter Natasha Korecki's work on the Blagojevich scandal, weaving together years of reporting and never-before published details into one straightforward, fast-paced narrative. From the infamous audiotapes to Blagojevich's strange public relations campaign, this is one of the most bizarre true political tales ever told. Beyond the slew of backroom dealmakers who were sucked into the Blagojevich imbroglio, President Barack Obama himself--while never accused of any wrongdoing--was also interviewed by federal prosecutors. Now-mayor Rahm Emanuel's discussions with Blagojevich are included as well. The political figure who became most entangled with the scandal, however, was Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., who is accused of offering Blagojevich $6 million for Obama's vacated Senate seat through an intermediary.

Download or read book Grafters and Goo Goos written by James L. Merriner and published by SIU Press. This book was released on 2004-03-11 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines the roles of politicians and reformers in Chicago against a backdrop of social history from 1833-2003.

Download or read book Too Politically Sensitive written by Michale Callahan and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Former Illinois State Police Investigations Commander Michale Callahan recounts his review of the wrongful convictions of Randy Steidl and Herb Whitlock for the 1986 murder of newlyweds Dyke and Karen Rhoads in Paris, Illinois, and ongoing attempts on the part of officials to impede Callahan's investigation.

Download or read book Pay to Play written by Elizabeth Brackett and published by Ivan R. Dee Publisher. This book was released on 2009 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Investigates the culture of corruption in Illinois state politics, Blagojevich's reckless actions, and how Obama managed to avoid the taint of this same environment.

Download or read book Spoon River Anthology written by Edgar Lee Masters and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2012-03-02 with total page 147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: DIVAn American poetry classic, in which former citizens of a mythical midwestern town speak touchingly from the grave of the thwarted hopes and dreams of their lives. /div

Download or read book To Serve and Collect written by Richard C Lindberg and published by SIU Press. This book was released on 1998-08-01 with total page 412 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Crooked politicians, gangsters, madams, and cops on the take: To Serve and Collect tells the story of Chicago during its formative years through the history of its legendary police department.