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An Honest Illinois Governor is Dead
[Ay Pee] Former Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson, the state's longest-serving chief executive, has died. He was 84."One of the things he will be most remembered for was getting away from making patronage appointments for top positions in state agencies and bringing in people based on their expertise," said Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois-Springfield. "He really helped shape the modernization and professionalism of state government." Until the Dems got control again. After he was appointed U.S. attorney for the northern Illinois district by President Richard Nixon, Thompson and his staff uncovered massive voter fraud in 1972, an effort that led to 83 indictments and 66 convictions or guilty pleas. He headed prosecutions that led to the conviction of a powerful Chicago alderman and Democratic former Gov. Otto Kerner Jr., by then a federal appeals judge. He also took part in the investigation of Republican Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, who eventually pleaded no contest to tax evasion. Voter fraud? In 1972? I'm sure that's all gone now. But not in Illinois. Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who issued a statement saying Thompson "was known to treat people he encountered with kindness and decency" and that he "set an example for public service of which Illinoisans should be proud." I believe Gov. Pritzker is under investigation for his toilet removal for tax purposes. Related: James R. Thompson: 2018-02-14 Off-duty police officer shot and killed in downtown Chicago James R. Thompson: 2008-12-19 Blagojevich to hold 2 p.m. news conference James R. Thompson: 2004-04-11 Bush's Pre-9/11 al-Qaida Memo Released Related: J.B. Pritzker: 2020-07-31 ComEd bribery scheme hearing is run by daughter-in-law of alleged key player J.B. Pritzker: 2020-07-20 Federal investigators digging deeper into Pritzker's $331K property tax break J.B. Pritzker: 2020-07-19 Illinois' Democratic Speaker of the House implicated in massive bribery scandal Posted by: Bobby 2020-08-16 |
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