While Mark Brown’s column “From Blago to Fast Eddie to Burke” was a well written recap of elected officials who were involved with corruption in the past decade, I have a name to add.
While Curtis Thompson, former chief of staff to 21st Ward Ald. Howard Brookins, was not an elected official, his arrest in February 2014 for accepting a $7,500 cash bribe to fix a liquor license and his sentence of 15 months deserve to be at least in a sidebar. When I was assistant legislative inspector general for Chicago, I interviewed Thompson in relation to some complaints that had been filed with our office, so his arrest and conviction came as no surprise.
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Also, while she has not been charged, let’s not forget that federal agents raided the office of 34th Ward Ald. Carrie Austin on June 19, 2019. The rest of that story will unfold in the coming year.
Kathy Posner, Near North Side
With his impeachment Donald Trump is not the only person on trial. The 116th Congress, American democracy and justice are also on trial. If the Senate fails to act and opens the floodgates to corruption, dishonesty and wrong-doing, ordinary law-abiding citizens will have no reason to trust or obey local authorities. Joe Citizen will feel compelled to handle his grievances in the ways he see fit. The rule-of-law must govern everyone, including presidents.
I don’t necessarily blame Donald Trump for all the things he has done to bring this country to its knees. Politicians lie all the time. I blame the senators and congressmen who stood by and allowed his deceit and crimes to go unchallenged.
William J. Booker, University Park
