In your face, Illinois

Apparently, New Jersey was getting tired of hearing quotes such as FBI Agent Robert Grant "If [Illinois] isn't the most corrupt state, it's certainly one hell of a competitor." So, today they rounded up and arrested 29 public officials in New Jersey, including 3 mayors, a deputy mayor, a couple of state legislators and a bunch of other public officials.

If I hadn't focused on the Illinois angle at the lead-in, I might have titled this post "The Jewish Mafia." Along with the 29 public officials, they also pulled in 15, lets classify them as 'Community Leaders', including several rabbis.

Now, I don't know the proper proportion of Jews to non-Jew involved, nor did I intend to insult those in the Mafia. Its just that my initial reaction of hearing about extortion and corruption in construction in New Jersey, my mind naturally drifted to the Sopranos.

Get a load of this:
There were some tie ins with the construction boom in New Jersey, but everyone prefers to talk about their kidney trafficking. Yup. They'd get people on tough times to sell them a kidney for $10,000. They'd then turn around and sell it to desperately ill people for $160,000.
Not a bad margin...

[US Attorney Ralph] Marra said: "It seemed that everyone wanted a piece of the action. The corruption was widespread and pervasive. Corruption was a way of life for the accused."He said politicians had "willingly put themselves up for sale" and clergymen had "cloaked their extensive criminal activity behind a facade of rectitude".

Here's where your money is really going:
It took 300 FBI agents to round them up this morning. These are the arrests in a 10 year investigation. This is also the beginning of many many years of trials and prosecutorial costs, along with the costs involved in paying a judge to listen to it all in real slow motion. Trust me, these guys'll have some big time lawyers in their corner...

THIS is whyipaytaxes.

read more: US corruption probe nets dozens(bbc)

P.S. The most corrupt state? North Dakota. By far. (total number of convictions vs. total number of politicians)