Political corruption and Chicago have been synonymous since the middle of the 19th century and goes on unabated today. Recent indictments, trials and convictions involving bribery, graft, and kickbacks indicate that little has changed during the last one hundred and fifty years.
Political Corruption in Chicago: the 19th Century
Political corruption in Chicago emerged as the Democratic Party began using ethnic ward-heelers to manipulate elections. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 was turned into a political football with finger pointing as to who was responsible for the fire's uncontrolled spread. It gave rise to the slogan “Vote Early and Vote Often”
Political Corruption in Chicago: the 20th Century
Political corruption in Chicago in 1910s and 1920s flourished as organized crime stepped into the mix with payoffs to policemen. It continued under the leadership of Mayor Anton Cermack and then the Kelly-Nash machine that doled out patronage jobs, political appointments, and broad favors to ethnic groups. They kept the city solvent during the New Deal years by obtaining federal funds as well as resources from organized crime. The situation became so corrupt that Kelly was persuaded not to run and was replaced by a figurehead, civic leaders Martin H. Kennelly in 1947.
With the election of Richard J. Daley in 1955, the Democratic Machine controlled Chicago with ward-based organizations. Police corruption came to national attention with the "Summerdale Scandal" of 1960 in which police were accused of keeping or selling stolen property which came into their hands.
The Daley faction was involved with the election of President John F. Kennedy as half the electoral votes in Illinois came from Chicago-dominated Cook County that was controlled by Daley. Under the mayor, Chicago was able to obtain a wealth of contracts and jobs for the construction industry and was said to control an estimated 35,000 patronage jobs which influenced the vote.
Political Corruption in Chicago: the 21st Century
Political corruption in Chicago is still dominated by politics that began with Richard J. Daley and continues under the governance of his son, Richard M. Daley. Skimming from city contracts and manipulating local real estate markets has resulted in indictment, trials and convictions.
In April 2007, Ali D. Ata, former executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority became a co-defendant in the trial of Antoin Rezko for obtaining fraudulent loans and defrauding investors. Both men had been heavy contributors to campaigns of Democrats running for local and national offices. Although not called to appear, presidential candidate Barak Obama was on the witness list but no charges were filed against him. Among those still under investigation is Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor of Illinois.
In May 2007, Edward R. Vrdolyak, a prominent Chicago lawyer and political figure, was indicted on federal fraud and bribery charges by helping businessman Stuart Levin to obtain a kickback in a scheme to defraud a medical school of money and property. Levin served on the medical school’s board of trustees.
In May, 2008, developers, contractors and seven city employees were charged in a bribery probe of city building permits by the U.S. Attorney.
Political corruption in Chicago as indicated by the indictments and jailing of politically connected individuals is evidence that even though the leadership of the city has changed over the last 150 years and is no longer called a “machine”, it has been resurrected and is alive and well in Illinois.
Sources:
Encylopedia of Chicago
Chicago Historical Society
Office of the United States Attorney, Northern District of Illinois
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