Even some of the most cynical observers of Illinois politics were shocked by the behavior that brought about Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest on federal corruption charges. But it was the extent of his brazenness that surprised people rather than the arrest itself; many point to Blagojevich as just an extreme example of the state's political culture.
In an article in the December 11, 2008, Christian Science Monitor, Kent Redfield, UIS professor emeritus of Political Science, says that Illinois tends to "treat politics as a business. It's not about public interest…It's about power and winning and jobs."
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20081211-CSM-CorruptionWindsThru.pdf
