North Dakota in the News (Update!)

With news out of the Land of Lincoln showing that Chicago politics are as crooked as the day is long, Illinois must be America's most corrupt state, right?

Wrong. Illinois only checks in at number 18 according to a USAToday investigation of Department of Justice statistics.

And guess who's the most corrupt--that's right, North Dakota:

North Dakota tops analysis of corruption
By John Fritze, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Its largest city is legendary for machine-style politics and its elected leaders have been under investigation for years, but by one measure, Illinois is not even close to the nation's most-corrupt state.

North Dakota, it turns out, may hold that distinction instead. (continued)

A statue of "Honest John" Burke, governor from 1907 to 1913, stands in front of the North Dakota's state capitol building in Bismarck. North Dakota had the highest rate of public corruption convictions won by federal prosecutors from 1998 through 2007. (From USAToday)

When you consider this along with all the recent craziness at Minot, maybe there is something in the water up on the Northern Frontier. Or maybe they're just on top of their game in the Peace Garden State.