Rostenkowski has a lot of gall
Dan Rostenkowski was once one of the most powerful men in America. A Chicago ward boss and chairman of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, it seemed as if "Rosty" had it made.
It all came tumbling down when he was indicted for involvement in the House post office scandal. Indicted and convicted on corruption charges, Rostenkowski served thirteen months of a seventeen month sentence. He was pardoned by Bill Clinton in late 2000.
Admittedly, Rosty is an expert in political corruption. But it still took a lot of gall for him to write this!
The title of Rostenkowski's incredible piece is "In Defense of Chicago Politics." Let it be noted that he does not, in fact, write a word about politics specifically in Chicago. But the most amazing part of this amazing piece of writing is that he actually argues that Illinois- my home state, I might add- is no more corrupt than any other state!
Admittedly, Rod Blagojevich has not yet been indicted. But if he is, he will be the sixth Illinois governor to have that "honor" (a seventh escaped indictment by promising to pay back the $200,000 he had stolen). I well remember the discovery of shoeboxes containing checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars written by Illinois residents for license plate registration fees found in the home of former Secretary of State Paul Powell when he died in 1970. The first governor I remember, Republican Bill Stratton, was acquitted of charges he misused campaign funds. His successor, Otto Kerner, spent three years in prison on bribery, conspiracy, income tax evasion, mail fraud and perjury charges. Reformer Dan Walker waited until he was out of office to become involved in fraudlent loans which netted him a seven year sentence (he served seventeen and a half months). And George Ryan, Blago's predecessor, is currently serving six years on a variety of corruption charges.
Not especially corrupt, huh?
Rosty- the boss of the Northwest Side 32nd Ward- was a key player in the Chicago Democratic machine at its height. "Vote early, and vote often" is the slogan in my home town, and the city's cemetaries are historically some of the best Democratic precincts in the country. I well remember when the current mayor's father, the legendary Richard J. Daley, arranged for a city insurance contract to be awarded without bids to one of his sons. No laws were broken, I should point out. But I am flabbergasted to this day when I remember Hizzoner's defense of his actions: "What's wrong with a father helping out his son?" He really had no clue.
TIME has an article on the history of my home state in the corruption department here. Suffice it in summary to say that Rosty is mistaken when he claims that Illinois politics are no more corrupt than one is apt to find in other states- and further, that Dan Rostenkowski is one of the last people who has any business trying to make that argument.
HT: Real Clear Politics
It all came tumbling down when he was indicted for involvement in the House post office scandal. Indicted and convicted on corruption charges, Rostenkowski served thirteen months of a seventeen month sentence. He was pardoned by Bill Clinton in late 2000.
Admittedly, Rosty is an expert in political corruption. But it still took a lot of gall for him to write this!
The title of Rostenkowski's incredible piece is "In Defense of Chicago Politics." Let it be noted that he does not, in fact, write a word about politics specifically in Chicago. But the most amazing part of this amazing piece of writing is that he actually argues that Illinois- my home state, I might add- is no more corrupt than any other state!
Admittedly, Rod Blagojevich has not yet been indicted. But if he is, he will be the sixth Illinois governor to have that "honor" (a seventh escaped indictment by promising to pay back the $200,000 he had stolen). I well remember the discovery of shoeboxes containing checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars written by Illinois residents for license plate registration fees found in the home of former Secretary of State Paul Powell when he died in 1970. The first governor I remember, Republican Bill Stratton, was acquitted of charges he misused campaign funds. His successor, Otto Kerner, spent three years in prison on bribery, conspiracy, income tax evasion, mail fraud and perjury charges. Reformer Dan Walker waited until he was out of office to become involved in fraudlent loans which netted him a seven year sentence (he served seventeen and a half months). And George Ryan, Blago's predecessor, is currently serving six years on a variety of corruption charges.
Not especially corrupt, huh?
Rosty- the boss of the Northwest Side 32nd Ward- was a key player in the Chicago Democratic machine at its height. "Vote early, and vote often" is the slogan in my home town, and the city's cemetaries are historically some of the best Democratic precincts in the country. I well remember when the current mayor's father, the legendary Richard J. Daley, arranged for a city insurance contract to be awarded without bids to one of his sons. No laws were broken, I should point out. But I am flabbergasted to this day when I remember Hizzoner's defense of his actions: "What's wrong with a father helping out his son?" He really had no clue.
TIME has an article on the history of my home state in the corruption department here. Suffice it in summary to say that Rosty is mistaken when he claims that Illinois politics are no more corrupt than one is apt to find in other states- and further, that Dan Rostenkowski is one of the last people who has any business trying to make that argument.
HT: Real Clear Politics
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