Kudos to former Mesa police sergeant Bill Richardson for exposing corruption in Tempe. He appears to be an honest man who needs all of our continued support. Guys like this don’t grow on trees. Kudos also to the Tribune for giving him a wide berth in this regard.

CHICAGO -Ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's plan to auction off President Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat marked the culmination of years of scheming for personal gain that included trying to extort a congressman and pressuring businesses to hire his wife, prosecutors alleged.

After the American Revolution, King George asked, "What will General Washington do now?" He was told that Washington would likely return to his Mount Vernon home and farm. Understanding man's lust for power better than most, King George replied, "If he does that he will certainly be among the greatest of men."

January 18, 2007

NEW YORK - A judge declared a mistrial Friday in the trial of two former Tyco International executives accused of looting the company of $600 million, citing intense outside pressure placed on one of the jurors.

If there ever was a time and occasion for an investigative reporter to win a Pulitzer, it’s now. For now is the time to blow the lid off an Arizona county, other than Pinal, rife with political corruption to whit, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and the county’s judiciary. Now that the “kangaroo” judicial board has hanged Andrew Thomas, et al, out to dry, it’s only the beginning of their inquisition of those who have attempted to clean up the politico wrong-doers.

I wanted to address some facts in advance of any legislation targeting Arizona workers in state government and Gov. Jan Brewer's proposal to uncover them in the state merit system. State employees are covered for a reason; to prevent undue political influence and corruption in state government. State employees are precluded from becoming elected precinct committee persons, holding office within the political party of their choice, or running for most political offices while a covered state employee. This was done to remove politics from employees tasked with serving the public. Covered status positions require background checks, interviews and competitive screening before hire.

Court records made public Thursday show that a grand jury ended its investigation of a judge, county officials and one of their lawyers on corruption allegations, but the reason for concluding the probe is a subject of dispute.

A response to “At Least Celebrate Colonists’ Sentiment” (July 7 letters by Tim Mavrides):

KABUL — The embattled Afghan president pledged Sunday that there would be no place for corrupt officials in his new administration - a demand made by Washington and its international partners as they ponder sending more troops to confront the Taliban and shore up his government.

VATICAN CITY -- Bishops attending a Vatican meeting on Africa issued a blunt ultimatum Friday to corrupt Catholic political leaders in Africa: repent or leave public office.

WASHINGTON — Rampant government corruption may derail the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan even if as many as 80,000 additional U.S. troops are sent to the war, the top military commander there has concluded, according to U.S. officials briefed on his recommendations.

CHICAGO - Rod Blagojevich's schemes and corruption stretch back beyond trying to sell a Senate seat, beyond handing out jobs to political donors and even beyond his first day in the Illinois governor's office, federal prosecutors say.

U.S. Senate Democrats are cowards. All we heard for two weeks was how the Senate would not accept the stench of corruption around Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and so lawmakers would refuse to seat anyone that Blagojevich might appoint to replace President-elect Barack Obama. But now it looks like Blagojevich’s choice, Ronald Burris, will become a senator after all.

WASHINGTON - Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens was convicted of seven corruption charges Monday in a trial that threatened to end the 40-year career of Alaska's political patriarch in disgrace.

I’m not inclined to side with the folks in Queens Park, who are hoping to stop construction of an industrial park near their homes with voter defeat of Prop. 300 on Tuesday’s Mesa ballot.

NEW ORLEANS - Fed up with crime and political corruption, New Orleans’ business leaders in 1952 organized to flush out the twin poisons they believed were harming economic development.

A Las Vegas developer expected to play a major role in the East Valley’s growth has 90 days to decide whether he will testify under oath about why he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to a corrupt former Nevada official.

A pre-sentence hearing that played out like a miniature trial ended late Thursday with the incarceration of former Pinal County Manager Stanley Griffis, but not before new questions were raised about the possibility of a much larger public corruption scandal involving area developers.

Maricopa County’s top two elected lawmen announced Wednesday they are teaming up to fight public corruption and white-collar crime.