A watchdog has accused Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough of running an “illegal patronage” operation, and is calling for federal oversight of her office.

What would appear to many Illinoisans as glaring conflicts of interest over the years have not appeared to raise red flags for the new chief justice.

Some Illinois lawmakers supplement their income doing property tax appeals work at private law firms. A property tax relief task force that includes some of those lawmakers killed a proposal to end that conflict of interest.

Chicago’s top FBI officer offered term limits as one solution to Chicago’s culture of corruption, suggesting more revelations are on their way, as he moves into an executive role in Washington, D.C.

Lawyers for Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan argued that even if he did recruit so-called “sham candidates” to siphon votes away from his 2016 primary opponent, such tactics aren’t against the law.

Ald. Ed Burke has long been criticized for operating a lucrative law business in the politically clouted world of Cook County property tax appeals, a world in which the speaker of the Illinois House of Representative continues to make money.

Government employees under Madigan’s watch were made to feel accountable to lobbyists, political campaign staff and other outside interests. Not the public.

Chicago is the most corrupt city, and Illinois the second-most corrupt state, in the nation, according to a recent report by the University of Illinois at Chicago. But corruption in Illinois is more than a buzzword. It comes with social and economic costs. Not only does corruption lessen residents’ faith in the government, it decreases...

Chicago aldermen will be held to higher ethical standards after approving the new mayor’s proposals to repair Chicago’s well-earned reputation for corruption.