Lincoln Is Crying: The Grifters, Grafters and Governors of Illinois

- Welcome, I'm Barry Kibrick, and today we're gonna try to put an end to crony capitalism and governmental corruption.

In part one of my conversation with F.H.

Buckley, the distinguished law professor, we discuss why distrust i our government is so prevalent.

- People ask me, you're talking about corruption in America, I don't get it.

I mean, I don't see it.

And I say, "There's this place called Illinois, "have you ever heard of it?

"Four ex-governors in prison."

- [Anchor Woman] Another day, another corruption scandal.

- We're a state run by a group of pirates.

- [Reporter] Dan Walker terrible fall from grace.

- [Anchorman] Town president charged in a mob connected insurance scheme.

- Corruption, it's our brand.

- Governor Blagojevich tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Obama.

- Illinois is almost a failed state.

- [Dick] People have died because of corruption.

- [Reporter] Governor Ryan goes to prison.

- 18 felony counts.

- We have institutionalized corruption.

(soft upbeat music) - [Narrator] "Lincoln is Crying: "the Grifters, Grafters and Governors of Illinois" is made possible by Dave Truitt.

(soft upbeat music) My name is James Todd Lincoln and while our DNA is not a match, I just know I'm the great, great, great grandson of President Abraham Lincoln and that's a big responsibility.

You won't find me in the history books but you can find me online.

(cameras clicking) Now being a Lincoln gives me a certain amount of gravitas but it's my academic credentials that give me the credibility to tell this story of corruption.

I feel a duty to call attention to how thoroughly broken Illinois' political system is and has been since the last time great granddad went to the theater.

I think you should also know I'm a micro influencer, activist and philanthropist.

Aside from the obvious resemblance, I don't have a lot in common with Honest Abe.

I'm not much of a rail splitter and I don't have a head for the law but I do share his principles.

Great granddad once said, "Stand with anybody that stands right.

"Stand with him while he is right "and part with him when he goes wrong."

I know Abe would be disgusted by just how many Illinois politicians and other public servants have gone wrong.

And I feel obligated to help save Illinois by calling out the voter's terrible tendency to elect and reelect the worst possible people.

- I don't blame crooked politicians anymore.

I blame the voters.

I mean, they keep reelecting these clowns.

- [Narrator] That's true, and here's something else.

Political corruption in Illinois is inclusive.

- It has nothing to do with gender or race or class.

- We have institutionalized corruption.

- It's in our DNA.

- [Narrator] In fact, there are so many corrupt politicians, the state is teetering on the brink of both moral and financial collapse.

- Illinois is the worst governed state, not just in the country, I would argue it's the worst governed state in the history of the country.

And that's really it by the numbers.

- [Narrator] Illinois is no $142 billion in long-term debt.

That's almost the worst of any state in the nation by 80 billion.

- Illinois is ranked dead last in fiscal health.

It has the lowest credit rating of any state.

It's sponsored almost at junk level and it has some of the highest property taxes and one of the worst pension crisis in America.

- [Narrator] Taxpayers shoul be furious with their leaders.

- People are leaving the state as fast as they can.

- All right, we are just getting some images coming into us regarding Illinois, people running away from high taxes.

- [Narrator] Isn't it time for the citizens of the prairie state to get more involved?

To actually show up to vote and to hold their leaders accountable?

Because we Lincolns believe, Illinois is worth saving and here's why.

(bright upbeat music) By the way, the S is silent.

Illinois is one of 50 U.S. states and it's located in the Midwest.

It's bordered by Indiana in the east, the Mississippi River in the west, and Lake Michigan is on its northeast corner and that's where Chicago is.

It's the third largest city in the country but Chicago's not the state capitol, that's Springfield downstate where granddad lived.

- Point of interest, the state bird of Illinois is the Northern cardinal.

- [Narrator] Thank you, Tim.

Illinois has about 12.8 million people and it's the fifth largest economy in the U.S. On the surface, this 200 year old state looks functional; rich farmland, over 30 Fortune 500 companies, major sports teams, and great food.

Much of it meat-based, but still great.

- Where was the Twinkie invented?

Chicago.

- [Narrator] Yes.

A lot of internationally famous characters have come out of Illinois or Chicago.

(soft upbeat music) And let's not forget Honest Abe.

He was an Illinois congressman, then our 16th president.

He was a Republican who ended slavery and he set a standard for Illinois politicians that sadly few have lived up to.

And that's the problem because if you take a closer look at the prairie state, its long dark history of political corruption has nearly destroyed it.

While it may not be as bad as DC or Louisiana, and that's not saying much, something is rotten in the land of Lincoln and that something is the politicians who are in it for themselves.

- We're a state run by a group of pirates who've basically been in it to enrich themselves and their families.

- From alderman to governors to congressmen, there's been a whole rogues gallery of people who have been convicted.

This place is a cesspool.

(bright upbeat music) - [Narrator] So let's take a look at the kinds of people who are attracted to Illinois politics.

They're not all bad, but many love the showbiz aspect of the job more than the actual job.

- Illinois is a place wher politicians are like celebrities and people can get hooked on that.

(crowd cheering) And after they get hooked, they don't know how to give it up.

- [Narrator] Others are drawn to Illinois politics for the money.

- The leader of politician motivated primarily by the money is the House Speaker Michael Madigan who is amassed a tremendous personal fortune as a property tax lawyer.

- [Narrator] And as property tax lawyers, these public servants can make big money helping the big property owners avoid paying big property taxes.

And that sets the stage fo potential conflicts of interest which means lots of money for them.

So how does this property tax reduction racket work?

Well, when you're a powerful elected official who's been in office for years, you use your clout as a big shot politician to influence the elected tax assessor about the amount of property taxes they're going to levy on your private sector clients.

Incredibly, this is legal in Illinois.

- And also they have the power to draft legislation that actually supports their business.

Something could be legal but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's moral.

- [Narrator] For the politicians who are primarily in the game for money, when their legal income is still not enough, they start to demand kickbacks, engage in shakedowns or use bribery and other scams to further enrich themselves.

Some get away with it, some don't.

(gavel thuds) According to the Department of Justice public integrity section, since 1976, almost 2,000 elected and appointed Illinois public officials from both parties have been convicted of corruption.

And don't forget the four governors in four decades, three Democrats and one Republican.

- Remember the people who run the show care about themselves, not us.

- [Narrator] And they also care about the perks and power is the biggest perk of all because if you've made a name for yourself in Illinois politics, presidents will seek your endorsement.

- I come to Illinois and ask for help.

- [Narrator] And once you've helped elect them, they might also seek your counsel and then you've really arrived.

- Hello, my friend, how are you?

- How are you?

- Say I'm a little worrie about Shriver trying to build up all this stuff down here about going back to Illinois.

- Yeah, he wants to, He wants to run for governor.

- That's exactly... - [Narrator] So everyone knows power corrupts but what else foments corruption?

- We have about 7,000 units of local government.

- I think we have the mos elected officials of any state in the nation despite being the sixth most populous.

- [Narrator] So that means Illinois has more government than Texas, California, New York and Florida.

And that means more opportunities for corrupt politicians to steal or to hire or promot unqualified family and friends to fill all those jobs.

- If you take a classica politician like Vito Marzullo, he had more than 20 members of his family working for the city and other branches of government.

- [Narrator] And here's something else that keeps Illinois mired in corruption.

- We have a poisonou political culture in the state and it poisons everything and everybody who stays.

The whole purpose of winning office is to get in there and distribute the jobs and goodies to my family and my friends.

That's what the Democrats do, the Republican party largel being complicit, we do it too.

And that propagates the culture.

- [Narrator] So yes, both Democrats and Republicans abuse power when they're in office.

But keep in mind, Democrats have been the dominant party in Illinois for decades.

And don't confuse Illinois Democrats with the hippie NPR types you might find back east or out west.

Our Dems are more gangster.

- They're not Democrats in the traditional sense that we think are liberal type people as far as ideologically.

- They're not driven by the sort of issues of the day.

They're driven by power.

- A lot of 'em are DINOs, Democrats In Name Only.

- [Narrator] And it seems citizens of Illinois are okay with this.

I worry about what else they're okay with.

- Here's the reality, the level of acceptance of corruption in the state of Illinois is very, very high.

- Chicagoans and Illinoians 'cause of everything radiates out from Chicago.

We suffer from the most virulent strain of Stockholm syndrome in the Western hemisphere.

We identify with our captors.

- [Narrator] And in Illinois, our captors are the politicians, many of whom are either under investigation, under indictment or just never prosecuted.

Like that old crook Alderman Vito Marzullo, the mobs man in city hall.

Seen here with the mob's other man in city hall, Alderman Fred Roti.

Alderman Marzullo ran his ward unopposed for more than 30 years like he was well, like he was the Godfather.

(soft upbeat music) - John, for Christ sake, if there's anybody there, send them in.

What the hell you got over there?

- Well, a little of everything, Alderman.

- I was up for promotion and my boss said to talk to you.

- That's why you had to come down here?

What's new, Tommy?

- Not much, not much.

Got a little complaint- - A little complaint.

- Yeah, just a little one.

- Goodbye.

I can't start this program because if I started that program, somebody else come in with another program.

- I'm sorry for taking your time.

- Forget it, young man.

(soft upbeat music) - [Narrator] At this point in our story, you might be wondering how long this corruption has been going on.

- You can dig as far back into Illinois political history as you want, and your hands are still gonna come out dirty.

Even Lincoln was no angel.

- [Narrator] Now hold on there, historians generally agree that widespread serious corruption in Illinois took root after great granddad was assassinated.

(gun shot) The event that triggered it was the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Legend has it a Mrs. O'Leary's cow was to blame for a blaze that wiped out a third of the city and left 100,000 homeless.

The end result was the perfect environment for corruption.

Developers came looking for contracts to rebuild the city and used bribery to get them.

Once they had the contract, they'd get shaken down by various city inspectors and lawmakers looking for their share of the loot.

And so this tradition of graft was born and it persisted largely due to the advent of political machines.

Republicans may have initiated the machine concept but Democrats really put it to work in Illinois.

So what is a machine?

- A political machine is normally a political party or political faction an their purpose is to gain power and to control the government.

- The beginning of the machine, the real machine, was Democrat Carter Harrison.

He led the city coming back from the Great Fire.

(gun shot) And then he was assassinated at the very moment of his greatest glory, the great World's Fair.

The next Carter Harrison, his son, was elected and reelected.

The Harrisons were like the Daleys of the 19th century.

The legendary big Bill Thompson operated Chicago's Republican machine at the time with the help of Al Capone who became his very close associate.

Apparently Al Capone's boys used hand grenades (bomb blasts) and disrupted polling stations in areas where Thompson's opponents were very strong.

In 1931, Thompson lost his drive for reelection and it was not only the end of his career, it was kind of the end of the Republican Party in Chicago.

- [Narrator] After Big Bill, his successor Democrat Anton Cermak could only be seen as a reformer.

The Czech born immigrant is widely considered to be the godfather of the modern democratic machine, which has kept the Chicago Mayor's office free of Republicans for almost 100 years.

Cermak went out the way godfathers usually go out, (gun shots) he caught a bullet.

Many historians believe assassin Giuseppe Zangara was actually aiming at the man standing next to Cermak, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Ed Kelly succeeded Cermak with his Kelly-Nash machine.

They worked tirelessly to keep Democrats in power while fattening Kelly's personal bank account.

But it was the young man Kelly mentored who became the biggest big city boss of all time, Mayor Richard J. Daley.

Famously dubbed the American Pharaoh, Daley ran Chicago like he owned it and he was never satisfie with how the media covered him.

- Mayor Daley blew up at cameraman and reporters Wednesday.

- No comment.

- Daley pushed a television camera aside and said- - [Daley] Get that out of my way.

- [Reporter] Watch it guys, watch it.

- Reporters again tried to question him but again, Daley had no comment.

- [Narrator] By controlling the message as much as he could, Daley used his machine to make sure everyone knew who was in charge and what great job Boss Daley was doing.

Chicago, Chicago, Queen of the inland sea Today, thy past and future meet to honor thee - Hi, I'm Norm Berry, enjoying spring in the park in the city that cares.

All around the families of Chicago, the city's services may be seen.

The city is constantly working to protect the health of its people.

Chicago was cited as the safest city in the country for the city's police department continues to wage a vigilant fight against crime.

There are 12,000 litter baskets throughout the city.

A very progressive step has recently been taken by the city of Chicago in the field of mental health.

Chicago's enjoying a building boom.

At the dedication of the Chicago Circle campus, Mayor Daley said- - This great university will be the beginning of the great Renaissance and the rebuilding of the entire west side of Chicago.

(audience applauding) - [Narrator] Propaganda films painted a rosy picture but Daley was in total denial about life for Chicago's minorities, most of whom were living in abject poverty and depression era conditions.

The so-called city that works wasn't working for Black Chicago.

- We had what I considered a very meaningful, frank objective discussion with the Mayor today on all of the problems of Chicago.

- [Daley] We have no ghettos in Chicago at all.

Total dilapidated buildings in Chicago are lower than any large metropolitan area in the United States.

So we have no ghetto and we have no Negro ghetto.

- [Narrator] Daley, ever th builder and public works mayor, thought by tearing down old ghettos and replacing them with new federally funded vertical ghettos, he had adequately addressed racism and inequality in Chicago.

He had not.

But he had provided his cronies and supporters with millions in construction and construction related jobs.

(soft upbeat music) On December 20th, 1976, Daley died on the job.

His legacy, a finely tuned machine would survive for decades.

- Mayor Richard J. Daley primarily wanted political power, not money.

- Federal government, the justice department would've loved to pin something on Richard J. Daley and they never did.

- [Narrator] Daley's passin should have been an opportunity for real change, an end to the corrupt machine but it wasn't.

Democrat Jane Byrne who'd gotten her start in the Daley machine, ran as a reformer and became the first female mayor of a major U.S.city.

Tougher and smarter than most of her male counterparts, Byrne eventually fell in with the wrong crowd.

She was defeated after only one term by a real reformer.

Chicago Mayor Harold Washington was the city's first Black mayor.

Hounded and hamstrung by the Vrdolyak 29, a group of mostly white aldermen, the charismatic mayor rested control of the city away from the 29 and was elected to a second term only to die before completing it.

Inspired by Harold Washington's example, a young Barack Obama was drawn to Illinois politics.

Starting out as a community organizer, he rose through the ranks to become the nation's first Black president.

It's generally agreed the Obamas escaped to Washington in the nick of time because if you linger i Illinois politics long enough, you'll get tainted.

The Obama's brief involvement with Tony Rezko, a developer slash convicted felon in a shady property dea almost became their whitewater.

But it didn't.

(ominous music sting) - You know, today there's a lot of emphasis on women catching up with men in terms of political power.

But in Illinois, women have always been competitors.

- One of the most celebrated cases of corruption in the history of America happened in Dixon, Illinois.

- Dixon, Illinois, th boyhood home of Ronald Reagan.

- [Narrator] That's right, Tim.

- The actor.

- [Narrator] Yes, Tim.

Dixon, population 15,000 is also home to the most enterprising criminal in the history of Illinois corruption.

-Rita Crundwell was convicted o embezzling $53.7 million dollars from the town's taxpayers in 2012.

- [Narrator] By holding the combined offices of treasurer and comptroller, Rita was able to set up a fake municipal account only she had access to.

She'd forge invoices to transfer money into that account, then write checks to herself.

So how did Rita spend all that money?

- [Dick] She was buying homes in Florida as well as Illinois.

- [Dan] $2 Million RV, jewels, 400 quarter horses.

- And she was winning international championships with her horses and her riding.

- She's living in this small town and she's living like Queen Elizabeth and nobody thought, "Hey, hey."

- People thought, "Oh, it must be inherited wealth "or she must have very nice boyfriends or something."

- And it caused great problems, they couldn't get police radios, they had to cut back services like paving streets and no one could figure out why they didn't have enough money to provide public services.

- [Narrator] A coworker whose pay had been frozen for years by Rita's austere budgets finally discovered Crundwell Well's deception and the FBI was notified.

- $53 Million over 20 years, just a staggering amount of money.

- [Reporter] Don't you think you owe the people of Dixon an apology, Rita?

- [Anchorman] Even though she pleaded guilty and is cooperating with federal investigators, Crundwell is looking at a 20-year prison sentence.

- [Narrator] Now it probably seems like I'm favoring whit criminals in this documentary, especially white Democrats and that stands to reason because in Illinois, white Democrats have controlled the reins of power longer, giving them more time and opportunities to steal.

But rest assured minorities have been competing in the political corruption game too.

And it doesn't get more high profile than Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife Chicago Alderwoman Sandi Jackson.

As everyone knows, Jesse Jr. is the son of one of the most controversial and important political leaders in America.

- Jesse Jackson Senior has been a force within this country's history generally.

He was someone who comes out of the civil rights era in the 60s.

He also was someone who ran for president in 1984, so he's the predecessor of Barack Obama.

- We must turn to each other and not on each other and choose higher ground.

(audience applauding) - His son came up in that environment, but we also see the downside to that.

- [Narrator] Jesse Senior had extremely high hopes for his son and Jesse Jr. was doing his best to live up to them.

The two had even co-authored a book, ironically titled, "It's About The Money".

- Jesse Jackson Jr., he's someone who had been upheld and there were great hopes associated with him who could have done great things with his power.

- [Amara] Incredibl brilliant, went to law school, had the charisma and became congressman.

- [Narrator] While Jackson senior's presidential bids in the 80s both failed, he was certain his son could one day land the top job, it was not to be.

Instead, Jesse Jr. and his wife Sandi suffered a terrible fall from grace.

- I knew Jesse Jackson Jr. from when I did Jesse Jackson Senior's campaign for president.

I got to know him and Sandi as well.

I mean, he didn't make a move without calling me.

But then all of a sudden there was this arrogance and everything that I told him to do, he did the opposite of.

- Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife were convicted.

Both did jail time, the charges centered around misusing campaign funds to buy personal items.

- [Narrator] $750,000 worth of personal items.

Many of them were more closely associated with a Michael Jackson impersonator than with a respected U.S. congressman and his wife.

But the congressman did show remorse and took full responsibilit when the cameras were rolling.

- It's not a proud day.

I'm sorry I let everybody down.

- He's a public servant and how he could've most served his people would've been to not engage in corruption.

- I do believe Jesse Jackson Jr. was suffering from bipolar disorder.

I understand what happened with him, I'm not condoning what happened to him, but Sandi, you should have been the one to stop it.

She went along with it an that's where I have the problem.

- The Jackson family represents both the wonderful and the tragic when it comes to Black politics.

- When we have such limited representation, it's not just as though we're losing a hero, it's like we're losing power in a way.

- The nature of politics is that you can do all these great things but you're remembered for your biggest mistakes.

- [Narrator] Yes.

Now you can't talk abou political corruption in Illinois and not touch on the 22-year reign of Chicago Mayor Rich Daley, the son of Boss Daley.

A machine politician through and through, Richie's machine differed somewhat from his father's because of the Shakman Decrees issued in the 1970s and 80s.

The decrees attempted to end patronage jobs, government jobs given to individuals only if they agree to do political work for the party.

Because political machines thrive on patronage jobs, the decrees did slow the spread of corruption, for a while.

- Richard J. Daley, he had 40,000 city jobs at his disposal.

There aren't those jobs anymore.

And so some of the more established politicians will say, "There is no machine, the machine is dead "because we don't have these jobs to hand out."

- [Narrator] It may be on its last legs now but the corrupt machine was not dead under Rich Daley because the public servants down at City Hall could always be trusted to find a way around patronage laws.

And if that didn't work, they'd bend the law.

Theoretically, this would provide Rich Daley with the necessary cover and deniability he'd need when various patronage job scandals like hired trucks came to light.

- Tim Novak, a star investigative reporter at Chicago Sun Times, would walk to the train every day in the Chicago neighborhood and he saw a truck that was sitting there doing nothing.

And he always wondered, "Why is that truck there?"

- And then he saw some more trucks just hanging out at the McDonald's parking lot and found out that they were essentially being hired to just sit there.

- The city of Chicago had its own trucks, why were they hiring trucks?

And they started digging and digging and guess what?

People who owned these truck firms have connections to the Daleys.

It was a way to pay back your foot soldiers who get you elected, you need to give them something and hired trucks was just another example of patronage.

- [Narrator] In addition to knowing nothing about hired trucks, he didn't know the extent o his second cousin's involvement in that scandal or that his son had a hidden interest in a multimillion dollar deal with the city or that his nephew, Robert Vanecko, had been part of a real estate venture that lost $54 million of a city pension fund.

But in spite of the nepotism, the scandals, the contract cronyism and the financial mismanagement, Daley had many supporters.

And like his dad was never convicted of anything.

As mayors, the two Daleys perpetuated machine politics in Chicago for a combined 43 years.

(ominous music sting) All right, let's get to the A-list of Illinois's political criminals, the convicted governors.

Illinois citizens almos expect to pay a corruption tax but corruption can't always be measured in dollars and cents.

Sometimes political corruption can result in lost lives which brings us to the crimes of Nobel Peace Prize nominee Republican Governor George Homer Ryan.

- There were nine deaths altogether under George Ryan that we know of, they were caused by truck drivers who should not have had driver's licenses.

- I knew George way before he went to prison, we did have a working relationship.

He was just a country guy who was a family man, had been a pharmacist married the farmer's daughter.

- He released people off of death row and it prompted a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.

- He was not what you would consider somebody that would be indicted on 18 felonious counts.

- [Narrator] So what did this country boy do to get himself sent to prison?

Well, his crime started long before Ryan became governor when he was Secretary of State.

- My role in the George Ryan Case was back in 1998.

I got a call from the FBI about people at the Secretary of State's office, the DMV, were taking bribes in order to pass people on their commercial driver's licenses.

- One of those that got a bogus license turned out to be the drive who was involved in an accident that killed a family.

- A dangling piece of metal fell off the driver's truck, the man did not speak English, CB radio operators then tried to reach him and alert him.

- Not knowing how to speak English, not passing the test legi and causing a crash like that.

- [Anchorman] The Willis family van rolled over a chunk of metal that had fallen off the back of a truck, the gas tank burst into flames killing six young children but sparing their parents.

An investigation eventually led all the way to Governor George Ryan's office.

- We learned that the people inside the Secretary of State' offices were taking the bribes but using the bribes to buy their allotment of campaign fundraising tickets for George Ryan's political campaign.

And so now we had public safety crisis meets political corruption.

- At the end of Operation Safe Road, there were almost 80 defendants who were charged.

- [Narrator] And George Ryan was defendant number 66.

But the Operation Safe Road investigation wasn't the only scandal that helped put the Governor away.

- A pattern began to emerge that Ryan was routinely exchanging government acts, contracts and decisions for cash.

Whether it was money for vacations, the use of vacation homes, a reception for George Ryan's daughter.

- Prosecutors showed at one point that George Ryan hadn't used an ATM card in years and they then gave all these examples of him gambling, paying for things without credit cards, where was he getting this cash?

(soft somber music) I think the underlying bigger issue was, was that crash.

It wasn't the central point of the trial but it was on trial.

You had the father and th mother showing up at sentencing.

It was really emotional.

- I must tell you that we hurt and sorrow as you parents would for your children.

As believers, we know one day we will be reunited.

- The way of doing business in the state of Illinois now had victims, it had rea victims, it had a dead family.

And George Ryan went away to prison.

- [Narrator] Even after his release, Ryan takes little responsibility for his criminal past.

And why should he?

The citizens of his hometown, arguably still suffering from Stockholm syndrome, have erected a monument to honor him, him and another disgraced politician from Kankakee, Illinois, Lennington Small, better known as Al Capone's governor.

- It's kind of the circle of life of an Illinois politician, I guess.

They have their diehard supporters who are going to stick wit them, come hell or high water.

(bright upbeat music) - [Narrator] Well, it was mostly gonna be hell for supporters of our next convicted Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich.

the Elvis wannabe, literally talked his way into prison and took corruption in Illinois politics to the next level.

He did something so stupid and so out there, he'd be recognized on the world stage.

- Thank you.

- [Narrator] But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

While Rod Blagojevich is journey to the federal penitentiary would take a while, it was almost pre-ordained.

(bright upbeat music) - Rod Blagojevich is- - A fast talking, highly motivated.

- Mixture of intelligence and idiocy.

- Who's a crook.

- Blago violated the public trust.

- He hurt a lot of people.

- I think he got in over his head.

- He's a tragic figure.

- Surrounded himself with the wrong people.

- Tried to commit crimes but just wasn't very good at doing it.

- A failed governor.

- Very hard to understand how he really ever got into office.

- [Narrator] So how did he get into office?

- Rod Blagojevich, I think first and foremost, to me, is a creature of Chicago.

- [David] He was a guy who rose up from the North West side, lower middle class.

- Came from a family of Serbian immigrants.

Rod Blagojevich barely made it through college and law school but he happened to hook up with a woman named Patti Mell.

Her father, Dick Mell, was arguably the most powerful alderman on the north side of Chicago.

- Dick Mell and the Democratic organization would have a Christmas party every year.

And I was working my way around the buffet table when this very nattily dressed young man comes in and he comes up to me and and says, "Which one is Patti Mell?"

(audience applauding) - Hi, I'm Milorad Blagojevich.

- Milorad?

That name is... (audience laughing) - What's wrong with the name Milorad?

You know in Serbian, it means one whose name is Steve.

(audience laughing) - What do you do?

- Well, I'm a lawyer.

I just graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law.

- Wow, Pepperdine University.

- Awe, shucks.

It's really just a party law school.

(audience laughing) But I still managed to graduate in the top 100% of my class.

(audience laughing) Patti Mell, will you marry me?

- ...Yeah.

(audience laughing) Oh, we have to meet my father first, he's a very influential Chicago Democratic alderman.

- Oh boy, a young lawyer marrying into a politically connected Chicago family, what a way to strengthen my personal integrity.

(forboding music) - Alderman Mell was a king maker.

He saw a brilliant future for this charming idiot savant.

Mell had a huge patronage army of political workers.

He controlled dozens if not hundreds of jobs.

He had access to campaign cash.

- [Narrator] Alderman Mell was the definition of a where's mine politician.

He clearly saw Blagojevich is just another tool to help him expand his power and influence.

- The trajectory was interesting.

Mell made him a city lawyer.

He went from being a city lawyer to a job as a state representative where he was famously insignificant.

Then when a congressional seat opened up, Dick Mell decides that Rod is ready for Congress.

- [Narrator] But Rod was going to need more than Dick Mell's clout to land a congressional seat.

Enter famous political strategist, David Axelrod, another king maker.

Axelrod's First mission was to address the problems with Rod's surname.

- Probably the most unspellable name as a journalist.

- Blagojevich, what is that?

- Blagojevich.

- My name is Rod Blagojevich it's a different kind of name.

- [Narrator] Different, yes, but it didn't stop him from winning.

Arriving in Washington DC as one of 535 congressmen, freshman Blagojevich realized how inconsequential he was.

But by this time, emboldened by the political winds his father-in-law had engineered, he got caught up in the fantasy that he might be presidential material.

So how was the only Serbian speaking U.S.

Congressman going to get noticed?

- My fellow Americans, today, our armed forces joined our NATO allies and airstrikes against Serbian forces responsible for the brutality in Kosovo.

- The one thing that stood out from Blagojevich's congressional tenure was this moment where he tried to broker the release of American servicemen being held in Serbia.

- [Narrator] After Clinton ignored his offer of help, he partnered with Clinton's spiritual advisor, the Reverend Jesse Jackson who'd had success with hostage negotiations before.

- [Reporter] Three American servicemen are coming home today, thanks to the efforts of the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Illinois Congressman Rod Blagojevich.

- All the networks were covering it and it was a moment in the sun for this political figure that Illinois barely knew.

- [Narrator] Rod loved the spotlight, even if he had to elbow his way into it.

Now it was about being camera ready at all times.

- He wanted to be projected as a youthful leader, almost kind of Kennedy-esque in a way.

- Rod was obsessed with his appearance.

He had really fine ties, he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on handmade tailored suits.

And then obviously, his hair is world famous.

- You know, he had the hair.

- The hair.

- The hair.

- I think it's about the hair.

(bright upbeat music) - I was Rob Blagojevich's barber, absolutely.

And I will be again when he'll be back.

Wonderful gentleman, very nice.

- [Producer] Tell us about his hair.

- His hair, nice and thick.

See, it was easy to cut and he have a good style.

Wonderful hair.

I wish I would have hair like him, but unfortunately.

(laughs) - [Producer] Did he dye his hair?

- Well, sure he dye, I don't (beeping) (bright upbeat music) - [Narrator] With his look perfected, it was time once again for Rod's father-in-law to help him with his next career move.

Abandoning his secure congressional seat, Rod successfully ran for governor of Illinois.

Promising reform and an end to corruption.

It was from that office, he hoped, he would begin his ascent to The White House.

(bright upbeat music) Spoiler alert, Rod didn't make it to The White House.

Another politician with a different kind of name came along and well, you know the rest.

- [David] Rod never liked Barack.

He always thought that he basically jumped him in line.

- He believes that Barack Obama is essentially living the end of Ro Blagojevich's political story.

- And that drove Rod crazy.

(audience applauding) - [Narrator] So while Obama rocketed past Blagojevich on his way to superstardom, Rod had to settle for what he saw as the crummy low paying job of Illinois governor.

By his second term, his over the top shady campaign fundraising schemes and excessive personal spending had caught the attention of the Feds who wire tapped his home and office.

- [Rod] I don't wanna b governor for the next two years.

I gotta get moving.

The whole world's passing me by and I'm stuck in this... job as governor now.

- [Narrator] And because of their excessive spending, 400,000 on wardrobe alone, first Lady Patti used he sketchy real estate business to supplement Rod's meager salary.

- [Rod] Patti works, she's very good at what she does.

Her business got dried up because the Tribune's been... writing about every one of her real estate clients.

I mean, we're struggling financially.

- [Narrator] Now things were about to get tragic, Shakespearean tragic.

Because of everything he'd done for the ambitious governor, Alderman Dick Mell, Rod's father-in-law, expected some help with a sketchy landfill deal.

Rod mistakenly said no.

- [Rod] You know, I should have...looked the other way on the landfill and then my father-in-law would take care of us.

I should've...done that.

- [Narrator] Rod was making other enemies too, like all powerful Illinois Speaker of the House, Mike, the Velvet Hammer, Madigan.

Even the few good things Rod had tried to do for the people of Illinois were reaping him little or no political capital.

-[Rod] I gave your...grandmother a free ride on a bus, okay?

I gave your...baby chance to have healthcare and what do I get for that?

Only 13% of y'all out there think I'm doing a good job.

So...all of you.

- [Narrator] Much of what the Feds captured on wiretaps only revealed immoral, disgraceful behavior.

But when they heard Blagojevich trying to sell the Illinois Senate seat vacated by President-elect Obama, calling it...golden, they had to take action.

- [Rod] Hey, how's it going?

- [Speaker] Okay, how are you?

- [Rod] I told my nephe Alex, he just turned 26 today, I said, "Alex, it's just too bad "you're not four years older 'cause I could have given you "a U.S. Senate seat for your birthday."

- [Speaker] Hmm, yeah.

- [Rod] You know what I mean?

I've got this thing and it's...golden and I'm just not giving it up for...nothing.

- This is a very sad day for Illinois government.

Governor Blagojevich has taken us to a truly new low.

Governor Blagojevich tried to sell the appointment to the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Obama.

The conduct would mak Lincoln rollover in his grave.

- [Narrator] The Blagojevichs seemed shocked, why were the Feds being so hard on Rod?

- I have done nothing wrong.

- My husband is an honest ma and I know that he's innocent.

- [Narrator] Apparently Rod and Patti didn't think his crimes were any worse than those of three previous governors who all went to prison.

- Rod Blagojevich coming on the heels of George Ryan being disgraced, I was certainly hoping that we would have somebody who would carry more dignity to the office.

- [Narrator] The Feds were fed up, bringing 24 charges o corruption against Blagojevich, including?

- Conspiracy.

- Bribery.

- Wire fraud.

- Extortion.

- [Narrator] Translation?

The Feds thought Governor Rod was illegally shaking down various entities and individuals for two things, a cushy job after leaving office and more campaign contributions.

Within weeks, Illinois did something it had never done before.

(gavel bangs) - The ayes have it and Governor Blagojevich is hereby impeached.

- [Narrator] But before going on trial to face the federal charges, Rod went on a book tour to plead his case in the court of late night television.

(audience applauding) - Well, you know that I'v been wanting to be on your show in the worst way- - But you're on in the worst way, believe me.

(audience laughing) It's hard to match up the person who is in this book with the tapes, for instance.

I've got this thing and it's (beep) golden.

- Yeah.

(audience laughing) - You have received criticism, you and your wife for doing reality shows.

- Yes.

- Governor, I have great respect for you, but Rod, you're fired.

(bright upbeat music) - The Blagojevich phenomenon wasn't just television.

It kinda took over pop culture and entertainment in general.

He turned up in paintings.

Stencil drawings were showing up around Chicago, just on the streets on lik alley walls, kinda like Banksy.

One of the weirdest appropriations was Blago shampoo.

And of course, at The Second City, there was like a rock opera about this Blagojevich saga.

He's so popular.

So I reached out to Rod's publicist and I said, "Would he maybe be interested in appearing in the show?"

He'll do it for $5,000.

It pumped up ticket sales, we ran for about another six months.

Rod Blagojevich You'll be doing time Rod Blagojevich Wish I had your hairline Rod Blagojevich You look young but you're old Yo, I've got this thing and it's (beep) gold Rod Blagojevich Jogging down the road Rod Blagojevich Won't get that senate seat sold Rod Blagojevich Your hair is a jello mold Yo, I've got this thing and it's (beep) gold - [Narrator] Enjoying all the attention, Rod was confident he'd be found not guilty as he entered the courtroom for his first trial.

And why shouldn't he be confident?

This is Illinois, where citizens tolerate corruption.

(crowd chanting) Almost predictably, a hung jury resulted in a mistrial.

But had it been up to jury foreman Jim Matsumoto, a highly principled Vietnam vet, things would've been very different.

- I was not a fan of Mr. Matsumoto to begin with.

I didn't want him on the jury, I was overruled.

And he voted to convict on every single count throughout the trial.

- [Narrator] And he was th only member of the jury who did.

- To let something go as egregious as Rod Blagojevich's conduct in office is unconscionable.

Just you can't let that kinda corruption go.

- The prosecutors had a tough time.

So in the second trial, they refined it a lot more, they made it smaller.

- [Natasha] They focused on the Senate seat and Barack Obama and that's when he was convicted on all counts.

- [Reporter] Not surprisingly, Blagojevich reacted to his 14-year prison sentence today by quoting poetry.

- Rudyard Kipling in his poem "If", among the things he wrote was, if you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same.

- I'm from Russia, to have a 14 years in jail, you need to kill somebody.

- [Narrator] But Rod wasn't in Russia, he was in denial in Illinois.

Of course, there'd be a harsh sentence for the fourth Illinois governor in modern times to be convicted of corruption.

- Corruption in Illinois is not tolerable.

Governor Blagojevich did not get that message.

(soft upbeat music) - [Narrator] Rod's last supper as a free man was eaten here.

And perhaps a touching tribute to his wife, it was a patty melt.

His new home would be just down the street at the Federal Correctional Institution Englewood in Colorado.

- In a lot of ways, Rod is a loner but you have to make friends in prison and he's sorta drawn to th surprisingly, the drug dealers.

They call him Guv.

He's found that the white collar criminals are habitual liars and are kinda con men.

Rod is still 100% to his toes, convinced that he's completely innocent.

- [Narrator] Appeal after appeal failed.

Rod's only hope was a presidential pardon or commutation from his nemesis.

When that didn't happen, 20-year old daughter Amy, delivered the Blagojevich response.

- [Amy] Dear Barack Obama, if you didn't notice, I didn't refer to you as Mr. President, that's because you've lost my respect.

I thought you had a moral compass.

Turns out you're selfish and spineless.

You stood by and watched th apple Appellate Court decision.

You did nothing.

Said nothing for eight long years.

My father is guilty of nothing.

He made mistakes, he's not angry.

He used to be.

It caused him to drink way too much.

I'm glad you're gone, you're not a saint, you were a mediocre president.

You were a bystander to a completely un-American act of injustice.

You're just as guilty as those who created it in the first place.

Sincerely, Amy Blagojevich.

- It's disgraceful.

Where are the parents allowing their daughter to blame President Obama for their own misdeeds?

- [Narrator] When the old blaming the Black guy tactic didn't work, Patti Blagojevich turned to the newly elected president.

(soft upbeat music) Clearly, Illinois has a governor problem and I'd heard The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus had an interesting take on our wayward leaders that was both moving and short.

Gentlemen?

By thy prisons ever growing Illinois, Illinois Where our governors are a-going Illinois, Illinois Otto Kerner was the first Deep in bribes he was immersed Did a year, hardly the worst Illinois 17 months served Dan Walker Illinois, Illinois S&L fraud was his prank Used our funds as his own bank What a scheming lying skank from Illinois Ryan was our top banana Illinois, Illinois Was locked up in Indiana Illinois, Illinois Years of graft and racketeering Jury found him not endearing Illinois Governors in the land of Lincoln Illinois, Illinois Cannot match the stench an stinking of this boy, Illinois On his phone calls by the hour We heard Blago crazed with power Now he's nervous in the shower Illinois Somewhere Honest Abe is crying Our integrity is dying Illinois (thunder) - Did I mention the state bird of Illinois is a northern cardinal?

- [Narrator] Yes, Tim, you did.

- I did.

(soft upbeat music) - [Narrator] Oh, great-great-great, Granddad, I know I've painted a depressing picture and the situation in Illinois is every bit as bad as I've described it but there are some signs that things might be turning around.

- [Reporter] Federal prosecutors have indicted alderman and property tax lawyer Ed Burke for racketeering and bribery.

- [Narrator] That's great news.

Even though the voters in his ward did reelect him and I think it'll be a while before the Feds get a conviction, if ever.

But that's still great news.

- [Reporter] Deb Mell, who was appointed to replace her father, Dick Mell, an alderman for 38 years has conceded victory to opponent Rosanna Rodriguez-Sanchez.

- We are going to transform this city.

(audience applauding) - [Narrator] Fantastic.

The last Mell gone from Illinois politics.

Dick Mell, out a while ago.

Son-in-law Rod, convicted felon.

And daughter Patti isn't even in politics.

Big win for Illinois.

(audience applauding) Now Granddad, you remembe I've been talking about the guy who really runs Illinois and has been for over 30 years, speaker of the House, Mike, the Velvet Hammer, Madigan, the best argument for term limits ever and the guy whose leadership has brought the state to the brink of financial ruin?

Well, the Feds are sniffing around people connected to him and that's hopeful.

(crowd chanting) But I've been saving the best for last.

Reformer, Democrat Lori Lightfoot, in a landslide victory has become the first African American woman to serve as Chicago as mayor.

Can you believe it?

- We can and we will break this city's endless cycle of corruption.

- [Narrator] Congratulations Lori.

But be careful with that aggressive fundraising.

Remember Blagojevich.

And congratulations to the other new leaders recently elected to the Chicago City Council.

But honestly, change has gotta happen at the state level too.

As for the rest of the United States, let this story of Illinois' decline serve as a cautionary tale because when people stop caring, stop voting, they can easily end up with a leader like- Rod Blagojevich You'll be doing time Rod Blagojevich Wish I had your hairline Rod Blagojevich You look young but you're old Yo, I've got this thing and it's (beep) gold Rod Blagojevich Jogging down the road Rod Blagojevich Won't get that senate seat sold Rod Blagojevich Your hair is a jello mold Yo, I've got this thing and it's (beep) gold Why these governors always lying Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan It's like these fools ain't even trying Always selling, never buying Senate seats, bribery, corruption, Chicago machine Rod Blagojevich You'll be doing time Rod Blagojevich Wish I had your hairline Rod Blagojevich You look young but you're old Yo, I've got this thing and its (beep) gold Rod Blagojevich Rod Blagojevich Rod Blagojevich Yo, I've got this thing and its (beep) gold (bright upbeat music) Lincoln is Crying: "the Grifters, Grafters and Governors of Illinois" is made possible by Dave Truitt.

(bright upbeat music) (no audio)