Roots of Political Corruption

I hope the part of Pioneer Press’ cartoonist Eric Allie’s “1000Words” that I have reprinted here does not go over the “fair use” copyright line.

It shows a man in shades mowing a lawn with a lawn mower on which the label “The FEDS” appears.

The mower is approaching a weed with leaves above ground, but massive roots below. It is labeled,

Illinois Culture of Corruption

The implication is obvious.

While U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and his yeoman crew of federal investigators from departments all over the Federal government are keeping the corruption weed under control above ground, cleaning up Illinois politics is hopeless.

But, just as we homeowners cannot stop weeds from growing, we still keep mowing the lawn.

But, helping the FBI and postal inspectors and Transportation Department inspectors and many others are people like former Lee Daniels’ top aide Mike Tristano, who, the Chicago Tribune reported on a page 2 story in the Metro section that

He agreed to have telephone conversations recorded during the investigation, which has now run for several years.

A 2003 search warrant obtained by the Tribune called for the seizure of

all documents related to

hiring and/or termination of any employee;

job descriptions and assignments;

organizational charts;

salaries;

pay periods, payroll records, or any changes made to salaries or payroll;

for any and all House Republican employees.

That might provide some weed killer for at least one caucus of the Illinois General Assembly.