Why They Are Corrupt

The Chicago Tribune has a story about Alderman Arenda Troutman that illustrates some different ways of looking at public corruption.

It was the headline on the home page that caught my eye:

Ex-Ald. Troutman pleads guilty in corruption case

The former alderman admits taking cash to support zoning changes and permits for developers.

Really? She “admits taking cash” from developers. Like she was just minding her own business when some developers offered her cash out of the blue?

The first paragraph of the story inside paints a more realistic picture.

In an about-face from earlier pledges that she was innocent of corruption charges leveled against her, former Ald. Arenda Troutman pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to scheming to extort cash in exchange for supporting zoning changes and permits for developers.

Yeah, that sounds right. I don’t think she was selflessly blocking unwise zoning changes out of concern for her ward, only to be seduced by developers waving wads of cash.

This is one of the reasons libertarians don’t like pervasive government: It allows corrupt government officials to stick their nose into everything and squeeze people. Troutman wouldn’t have been able to do this if she didn’t have control over the permitted use of every piece of land in her ward.