Corrupt and criminal pols make up the No. 1 sport of Illinois

For all his good works and progressive thinking, John Peter Altgeld got turned out of office, while corrupt pols kept merrily serving. (image via Wikipedia).

So why is the sports guy writing about Scott Lee Cohen, the Dem candidate for lieutenant guv in Illinois who had been arrested on a domestic violence charge?

Simple. Because politics, and politics of the worst kind, has been an even better spectator sport in the state of Illinois than sports itself.

Anyone who’s anyone — except the Daleys themselves — has been indicted and/or convicted. They could open a full wing of a state prison populated just by pols.

We love our corrupt guys and hate the do-gooders.  Gov. John Peter Altgeld was as progressive and clean a politician as existed in the 1890’s, prime time of robber barons. But Altgeld was turned out of office after just one term, partially for pardoning three of the Haymarket riot instigators, partially for refusing to interfere with armed force to put down a Pullman railroad strike. Fast forward to 1971, when Gov. Richard Ogilvie knowingly committed political suicide by enacting the first state income tax, an unpopular but necessary source of revenue. Ogilvie successor Dan Walker, of course, was indicted and convicted years later.

In the ultimate example of the nice-guy-finishing-last, Mr. Cub tried the crossover from baseball to politics by running for alderman in 1963. But Ernie Banks made the mistake of running as a Republican in a ward under the tight control of sub-boss Bill Dawson, an entrenched congressman who was the top African-American Dem politician of the era. Banks knew all about finishing back in the pack from his day job. Good thing Ernie lost, because aldermen somehow punch an express ticket to the jailhouse.

Other relatively recent guvs who logged prison time for various schemes were Otto Kerner and George Ryan. The infamous Rod Blagojevich’s time could be coming when he goes into the federal dock this summer, but not before he has cashed in on his ridiculous fame via a Donald Trump TV show, his own radio talk show (see how low our industry goes!) and other entertainment venues. If they had a weekly show of Elvis impersonation, Blago would hit the producers hard to be the faux King. Meanwhile, yet another guv of the past half-century, William Stratton, was indicted, but acquitted, of income-tax evasion soon after leaving office in 1961.

Gaining office in the guv’s cabinet often is a license to steal. Stratton’s state auditor, Orville Hodge, was caught with his hand in the till and went to prison. Paul Powell, a drawling secretary state from the far southern tip of the state, died in 1970, leaving behind a shoebox full of $800,000 in his Springfield hotel room. He did not make the cash selling P. F. Flyers.

The list of alderman and other city of Chicago officials booking time in the hoosegow is too numerous to mention here. Even Larry Bloom, alderman from the 5th Ward, the  city’s most liberal ward — President Obama’s home ward — has heard a guilty verdict. I grew up in the “Fighting 50th” Ward on the far North Side and feel left out. None of the aldermen in my lifetime, either Jack Sperling or 37-year war-horse Bernie Stone, ever got into trouble. Something’s wrong.

I still can’t figure out why Richard J. and Richard M. Daley never got enmeshed in the down-and-dirty dealings and logged 42 years without any hint of indictments.  Either they are the craftiest mayors in history or invented the teflon politician.

When our cousins in Louisiana claim they’re the most corrupt state in the country, I’ll give them the honor — No. 2. A very disrespectable No. 2. Illinois, with Chicago at the epicenter, has developed the dynasty of dastardly deeds. A city where conventional sports championships are too few and far between can hold its head up high in corruption, crime and venality. We’re No. 1!