The Chicago Corruption Walking Tour

How two comedies, a musical, and a public domain noir tell the story of the birth of Chicago better than any history book. Set in the Marquette Building lobby.

The Campaign Legal Center's Ruth Greenwood shows how the sausage is made in this look at the dirty tricks that draw our district maps. Set at the corner of Dearborn and Adams, where you can see four separate state House districts.

Learn about the parallel downfalls of Illinois governors Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan, and the reality show bids and death row pardons they turned to. Set at the Calder Flamingo at Federal Plaza.

The origin and spread of the term “Chicago Way.” Recorded live March 11, 2020, at the Old Chicago Inn's Room 13 speakeasy as part of Chicago for Chicagoans Chicago History 101 Speakeasy Series. The full version of the quote that's going to piss you off is "And so they demanded, if not a legal lynching, then at least courtroom revenge that could be passed off as justice" from Nov. 26, 2014. You'll know what I'm talking about when you get there. The Chicago Corruption Walking Tour podcast is suspending its Patreon campaign and spending all week posting previously Patreon-only content. Please donate any money you would have spent on the Patreon campaign to the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund or to hurting bar, restaurant and other service industry workers at chicagoservicerelief.com.

"Dear Midnight of Love," written in 1900 by Chicago Ald. John "Bathhouse" Coughlin and Max Hoffman. Recorded Jan. 30, 2020, at the Harold Washington Library Center performed by clown-lawyer and part-time Bathhouse John impersonator Scott Priz of the Amazing Prizzini Brothers and pianist John Gieger. Supplement to Episode 2: Midnight of Love. The Chicago Corruption Walking Tour podcast is suspending its Patreon campaign and spending all week posting previously Patreon-only content. Please donate any money you would have spent on the Patreon campaign to the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund or to hurting bar, restaurant and other service industry workers at chicagoservicerelief.com.

For the joint Election Day/St. Patrick's Day March 2020 Primary, a look at current and former judicial candidates U. O'Neal (born Ubochi Osuji), Shannon O'Malley (born Phillip Spiwak) and Bonnie McGrath (born Benita Taman), whom some other people who aren't me so sue them not me allege Irished up their names to court Cook County voters. Pulled from Episode 2: Midnight of Love. Music by Scott Priz and John Gieger. The Chicago Corruption Walking Tour podcast is suspending its Patreon campaign and spending all week posting previously Patreon-only content. Please donate any money you would have spent on the Patreon campaign to the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund or to hurting bar, restaurant and other service industry workers at chicagoservicerelief.com.

The Chicago Corruption Walking Tour podcast is suspending its Patreon campaign and spending all week posting previously Patreon-only content. Please donate any money you would have spent on the Patreon campaign to the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund or to hurting bar, restaurant and other service industry workers at chicagoservicerelief.com. As a supplement to Episode 1: Blood, Ballots, and Black Jack's Ears, this bonus Chicago Corruption Walking Tour podcast episode looks at the history of African-American police officers in the 1800s. Selected sources: Battle, Samuel J. "The Reminiscences of Samuel J. Battle," Oral History Collection of Columbia University. Web. Dulaney, W. Marvin. Black Police in America. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1996. Print. Hayes, Rutherford B. Diaries and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, vol. 3, 1865-1881. Columbus, Ohio: Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, 1922. Web. Kuykendall, Jack L., and David E. Burns. "The Black Police Officer: A Historical Perspective." Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice 1 (1980): 4-12. Web. Thale, Christopher. "Policing in the Nineteenth Century." Encyclopedia of Chicago. Web. Walker, Samuel. A Critical History of Police Reform: The Emergence of Professionalism. Lexington, Mass.: Lexington Books, 1977. Print.

In part two of our interview with former Cook County Clerk David Orr, who served as vice mayor of Chicago under Harold Washington and interim mayor after Washington's death, we hear about Harold’s death and the succession scrambling that could have given Chicago Mayor Rostenkowski, Mayor Evans, Mayor Partee, Mayor Mell, or Mayor Burke. Listen from the 9th floor of the Harold Washington Library Center (after COVID, of course).

In the 1980s, two aldermen named Ed - one now in prison for fraud, one facing federal corruption charges - ground the city to a halt rather than take orders from the first black mayor. Featuring former Cook County Clerk David Orr, who served as vice mayor of Chicago under Harold Washington and interim mayor after Washington's death. Listen from the 9th floor of the Harold Washington Library Center (after COVID, of course). Part 2 will be posted Wednesday, March 25.

In the early 20th century, Aldermen Hinky Dink Kenna and Bathhouse Coughlin ran Chicago’s red light district from a downtown bar, arranging a love match between politics and organized crime in the process. With musical guests Scott Priz from the Amazing Prizzini Brothers and pianist John Gieger. Plus a special message about COVID-19. Original instructions were to listen either in Coco’s Famous Deep Fried Lobster or by a prison parking lot, but given everything going on, hold off on that for a bit.

The Election Day murder of 1884 kicks off the Chicago Corruption Walking Tour podcast. Partisan appointees, politically connected boat-bars, and a hothead Second Ward pirate led to a polling-place gunfight between Chicago police and U.S. marshals. Listen at the corner of State and Harrison.

A look at politics from the streets, skyscrapers and alleyways of a city - and nation - corruption built. Soon to be available on all major podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.