A few days prior to President Donald J. Trump (R)'s compassionate announcement that he was pardoning or granting clemency to individuals from a variety of backgrounds, including many Democrats such as disgraced Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, thus "making a point about government overreach in prosecutions, as well as reminding people about his First Step Act, which brings reformed (mostly minority) prisoners home," two professors released a study proving:

Chicago Is The Most Corrupt City In The U.S., According To New Study Chicago remains America's most corrupt city, and Illinois the third-most corrupt state, according to a new report from the University of Illinois at Chicago. The report, co-authored by UIC professor and former Ald. Dick Simpson, is based on an analysis of the public corruption statistics published by the U.S. Department of Justice. ... The DOJ's data used contains statistics from 1976 through the end of 2018.

(Yes, that Department of Justice, and yes, the report definitely covers the years when Chicagoan Barack H. Obama [D] served in the Illinois state Legislature, represented Illinois as a senator and served as president of the United States. Just thought I'd clear that up.)

The report continues:

"Our study shows that Chicago remains the most corrupt city in the United States with 1,750 total public corruption convictions from 1976 through 2018," Simpson said. "This number is even more troubling when compared to the second-place city, Los Angeles, which has had 200 fewer convictions in that time period," Simpson said.

The last Republican mayor of Chicago's term ended in 1931, while 2001 was the final year of Republican Richard Riordan's reign over Los Angeles. (I just thought you'd find this information useful.)

In addition:

Illinois remains the third-most corrupt state, based on the formula that compares the number of each area's corruption convictions with its population, according to the report issued by Simpson and his students.

Only #3 in a state with the #1 corrupt major city? Well, who are numbers one and two?

The District of Columbia was No. 1, while Louisiana was No. 2. The states of New York, California, Texas and Florida each had more total corruption convictions than Illinois, but their populations are larger, placing them lower in the ranking.

(Because of its unique legal requirements and responsibilities as the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. is considered a state for the purposes of this study.)

Well, Washington, D.C. and Louisiana are definitely difficult competition for a national corruption championship.

Robert E. McLaughlin (independent), who served from 1956–1961 was the last non-Democratic mayor of the city, while Louisiana Republican Bobby Jindal's term ended in 2015.

And then there is #3, Illinois, where:

4 of Illinois' last 7 governors went to prison Of Illinois' last seven governors, four have ended up going to prison. They are: Rod Blagojevich — Governor from 2002 through 2009, when he became the first Illinois governor in history to be impeached. Convicted of numerous corruption charges in 2011, including allegations that he tried to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old Senate seat. George Ryan — Governor from 1999 through 2003. After leaving office, was convicted of racketeering for actions as governor and secretary of state. In November 2007, began serving a 6 1/2 year sentence in federal prison. Dan Walker — Governor from 1973–1977. Pleaded guilty to bank fraud and other charges in 1987 related to his business activities after leaving office. Spent about a year and a half in federal prison. Otto Kerner — Governor from 1961–1968. Resigned to become judge, then was convicted of bribery related to his tenure as governor. Sentenced to three years in prison.

George Ryan is the only Republican on this list.

Respecting diversity and multiculturalism, Republican Trump granted clemency to Democrat Rod Blagojevich, who has long maintained his innocence. Given Chicago's and Illinois's notorious history, where corruption is normalized and deeply integrated at all levels of government, it is understandable that he did again at a triumphant homecoming news conference in Chicago on Tuesday. Revealing he just doesn't understand that the accepted way of doing Democratic politics in Chicago, in Illinois, is considered wrong, Blagojevich informed the media throng gathered outside his home:

I'm returning home today from a long exile, a freed political prisoner. I want to say again to the people of Illinois who twice elected me governor, I didn't let you down. I would have let you down if I gave into this[.] ... From beginning to end, this was persecution masquerading as prosecution.

Well, why was he prosecuted...er, persecuted? As reported then:

A "stunned" Rod Blagojevich and wife Patti hugged in the courtroom after a federal jury in Chicago this afternoon convicted the former Illinois governor of attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated when President Obama was elected in 2008, among the 17 guilty counts against him. The trial provided for some dramatic moments, including the playing of secret recordings made of Blagojevich during the shakedowns. In perhaps the most famous tape, Blagojevich refers to the Senate seat as "f------ golden." "I've got this thing and it's f------ golden, and, uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for f------ nothing," jurors heard Blagojevich saying, as preserved by The Chicago Tribune.

(Again, I just thought you'd be interested in this information.)

Well sure, you don't sell potatoes for "f------ nothing," so why shouldn't a suddenly vacant Obama Senate seat be considered a commodity for sale? This is the Chicago Way. After all, Obama was campaigning for president at the time, successfully informing voters, "You didn't build that," meaning that the government run by Democrats built that. Well, that must include solidly corrupt Democratic Chicago. As the report concludes:

The report didn't promise much for the future, either. The Burke and Solis investigations, coupled with fallout from investigations into State Sen. Martin Sandoval and Teamster boss John Coli, "strongly suggest" more public corruption convictions in 2020 and 2021.

Read the full report here.

Oh.

So why do Chicago voters continue tolerating such blatant corruption? One reason might be that elected officials do deliver on essential services. Ninety years ago, Benito Mussolini realizing the importance of this, improved Italy's unreliable rail service, famously making sure "the trains ran on time." Now, I'm certainly not equating Mussolini with Chicago's recently retired mayor and former Obama adviser, Rahm (never let a crisis go to waste) Emanuel (D), who several years ago boasted in the New York Times:

Rahm Emanuel: In Chicago, the Trains Actually Run on Time

After all, on time trains are vital for the average citizen, and as long as the elected officials, corrupt or not, reliably maintain these services, which also employ thousands of average citizens, whoever promises to continue will be elected.

Also, many Chicagoans will be perversely pleased with the report's news. Their sports teams are lousy. The weather is terrible. But thanks to what the Democrats built, at least they're #1 in corruption!

Rah!