As anticipated, President Joe Biden has granted pardon to his son Hunter Biden, despite prior assurances to the contrary. This move, while controversial, underscores a deeper issue: the U.S., often hailed as a beacon of democracy, stands as a striking example of systemic corruption. This Government Gangsters scheme therefore obviously needs people like Trump-appointed FBI Director Kash Patel.
The Rotten Democracy
Kash Patel is the author of Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy. he has been appointed by Donald Trump to become the new head of the FBI, the worlds most powerful law enforcement agency. Perhaps Patel, with his deep knowledge of the Government Gangsters scheme, can combat that scheme in his new role. But it could also be that this rotten system simply cannot be sanitized.
Compared to the U.S., nations like Russia and emerging economies in Africa, South America, and Asia appear to be mere novices in the corruption playbook. A perfect example to show the corruptness of US democracy are the governors of the US states who seem to be constantly involved in corruption and other illegal activities.
A glance at the lengthy list of convicted or indicted U.S. state governors reads more like a corruption manual than a record of public service. Several U.S. governors have faced criminal charges and convictions, with Illinois standing out for its history of gubernatorial corruption. Indeed, it is true that multiple Illinois governors have been sentenced for corruption-related offenses.
Illinois Governors Convicted of Corruption
Illinois has a particularly notorious record, with four of its last ten governors serving time in federal prison:
- Rod Blagojevich (Democrat, 2003-2009): Convicted in 2011 for numerous corruption charges, including attempting to sell Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison but served nearly eight years before his sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump in 2020.
- George Ryan (Republican, 1999-2003): Convicted in 2006 for racketeering and fraud. He served 6.5 years in federal prison.
- Dan Walker (Democrat, 1973-1977): Pleaded guilty in 1987 to bank fraud and perjury (unrelated to his time as governor). He served 18 months of a seven-year sentence.
- Otto Kerner Jr. (Democrat, 1961-1968): Convicted in 1973 on 17 counts of bribery, conspiracy, and other charges. He served three years in prison.
Other Notable Cases
- Len Small (Republican, 1921-1929) and William Stratton (Republican, 1953-1961) were both charged with crimes but were ultimately acquitted.
- J.B. Pritzker, the current Illinois governor, has come under federal investigation for a property tax reduction scheme, though he has not been charged.
Governors from Other States
Corruption charges against governors are not limited to Illinois:
- Andrew Cuomo (Democrat, New York): Resigned in 2021 amid sexual misconduct allegations and faced criminal charges.
- John G. Rowland (Republican, Connecticut): Charged twice, in 2004 and 2014, for corruption-related offenses.
- Edward DiPrete (Republican, Rhode Island): Pleaded guilty in 1998 to 18 criminal counts related to bribery.
- Mike Easley (Democrat, North Carolina): Reached a plea deal in 2010 for violating campaign finance laws.
- Roger Wilson (Democrat, Missouri): Pleaded guilty in 2012 to money laundering campaign contributions.
Conclusion
The history of gubernatorial corruption in the United States, particularly in Illinois, underscores the importance of accountability in public office. Since the 1990s, at least 11 U.S. governors have been convicted of federal corruption offenses, including violations of the Hobbs Act, RICO, the Travel Act, and mail or wire fraud. This pattern of misconduct has led to increased scrutiny of elected officials and calls for greater transparency in government operations. Maybe the new Trump administration can effectively fight this Government Gangster Scheme? Or maybe not!
