Democracy depends on the public’s trust of its leaders. When that trust is shattered it could take years, if ever, to put the pieces back together. Wiretaps, stings, racketeering, bribery, and extortion – terms that have become all too familiar to the general public. Why should they care about good public policy if the politicians don’t? It is one of the reasons that so many people are disengaging from politics – they don’t trust politicians to do the right thing.
This episode of Capitol Crimes, Shattered Trust, tells the stories of legislators trying to stem the rampant corruption that plagues our state and reverse the moniker of most corrupt state in the union. Their attempts to rebuild the trust of Illinoisans continue to be thwarted by those leading the General Assembly. Nevertheless, Illinois State Representatives Ryan Spain, Amy Elik and other lawmakers continue to push the majority to take effective action to end the culture of corruption in Illinois.