Thumbs Down: Statehouse Corruption

Corporate boardrooms and WallStreet brokerage houses aren'tthe only places where corruptionbreeds—state and local governmentsare just as good at spawning scandals.According to a report issued byCorporate Crime Reporter (www.corporatecrimereporter.com), Mississippiis the most corrupt state, based onthe number of public corruption convictionsbetween 1993 and 2002.Rounding out the list of the 10 mostcorrupt states are North Dakota,Louisiana, Alaska, Illinois, Montana,South Dakota, Kentucky, Florida, andNew York. The report also provides alist of the 10 least corrupt states,topped by Nebraska, followed byOregon, New Hampshire, Iowa,Colorado, Utah, Minnesota, Arizona,Arkansas, and Wisconsin. The corruptionbox score shows jail time for thepast three Louisiana insurance commissionersand two mayors and thestate treasurer from Connecticut,where the governor is also under acloud of alleged scandals.