In recent history 4 governors and 33 Chicago aldermen have been jailed in Illinois.

No wonder the authors of Corrupt Illinois, Patronage, Cronyism, and Criminality make the dire claims as they recently did on Chicago’s WTTW-TV.

“Chicago is the most corrupt city in the nation,” author Dick Simpson told host Carol Marin on Chicago Tonight. “Every time we convict someone for corruption it’s a good idea. But that just takes care of the rotten apple. We have a rotten apple barrel.”

The authors decry the culture of corruption and offer solutions in Corrupt Illinois. The book offers a history of criminality that extends south of I-80 as well.

It is not all #1 Chicago, however dragging the state down. “Illinois is only the third most corrupt state in the nation,” Simpson says. “It’s not a good position. We should be ashamed at being number three in the nation in corruption.”

Read an excerpt of Corrupt Illinois here.