Former Illinois Governor James R. Thompson, As a federal prosecutor in the early 1970s, he obtained a conviction against former Governor Otto Kerner, Jr., for his use of improper influence on behalf of the racetrack industry. He also tried and convicted many of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daleys top aides, most notably Alderman Tom Keane and County Clerk Matt Danaher, on various corruption charges. People like Keane and Danaher, the mayors point man on patronage were also major figures in the Cook County Democratic Partys political machine. These high-profile cases gave Thompson the celebrity that fueled his run for governor in 1976. To the chagrin of many, Thompson was very bipartisan in his attacks on corruption in Cook County and Chicago. He not only prosecuted high-profile Democrats, but also prominent Republicans such as County Commissioner Floyd Fulle and former U.S. Senate candidate, William Rentschler.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 11:58:43 +0000
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