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Illinois Gets By With A C In Corruption Study

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Illinois State Capitol

Illinois State Capitol buillding in Springfield (AP Photo)

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS)Chicago was recently deemed the most corrupt city in the nation, and deposed Gov. Rod Blagojevich last week became the second consecutive governor in prison for corruption convictions.

Still, Illinois received a C in a study rating corruption in states across the country – in which 18 states received D’s and eight more received F’s. The investigation was conducted by the Center for Public Integrity, Global Integrity and Public Radio International, Reuters reported.

In the study, Illinois received a C in a four-way tie for 10th nationwide, with Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Hawaii.

No state got an A in the survey. The states receiving B’s were New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington state, California and Nebraska, Reuters reported. The eight states with failing grades were North Dakota, Michigan, South Carolina, Maine, Virginia, Wyoming, South Dakota, and coming in last, Georgia.

New Jersey ranked at the top with a B+ despite its historic reputation for corruption. The study says New Jersey now has a reputation for some of the nation’s toughest anti-corruption and ethics laws.

Georgia ranked last in part because of 658 state workers accepted perks such as sports tickets and expensive meals over a period of two years, but no vendors were fined for failing to disclose such gifts in two years, Reuters reported.

In another study on transparency, Illinois is in the middle of the pack. The Public Interest Research Group conducted that study, “Following the Money 2012,” by examining state governments’ web sites to determine how easy it is to find information about public expenditures.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s Dave Dahl reports


“It’s not easy to download the information and be able to compare the data,” Illinois PIRG director Brian Imus says of Illinois’ information. “There also isn’t a way to link from the web site on how state dollars are being spent to city and county budget data as well. Some other states already do that, and Illinois should do the same.”

Imus says there is one very bright spot for Illinois: “We are currently the only state that provides information on both the projected benefits and the actual benefits created from economic development subsidies,” he said.

Imus says the places in which Illinois fell down in the report were mainly in how easy it is to get the information online.

View Comments
  • peorianewm

    Funny how states like New Jersey and Illinois had such remarkable grades, hmmm… what else do they have in common? They both are known for
    mob influence and unions. So how accurate do you think this this rating is given the influence of these two states? I rest my case.

    • Roger

      We just sent another one to prison. Does anyone really think Madigan, Immanuel and Quinn are better> These things alone kind of tell you what to think of this article.

  • PG

    All this grade means is that the politicians in Illinois are better at hiding their corruption/lies/bribes than those in other states. That, and the local media assists then in hiding the corruption, by failing to perform solid investigative reporting.

  • Me

    One study gives up a C right in the middle of the back…another study put us #1..

    This morning I heard this report as corruptibility, not just corrupt. Illinois is very un-transparent…4 of the last 7 governors are felons…Chicago’s alderman are falling now too….

  • tom sharp

    Anyone who thinks Illinois deserves a middle grade when it comes to corruption knows nothing about corruption or how to conduct an accurate survey.

  • Northside

    Who got paid for the survey! C is stand for corrupts.

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