If there’s no honor among thieves, what keeps them from ratting each other out? Self-interest, that’s all. Mainly, the fear of reprisal: snitches get stitches.
The mafia isn’t the only gang with a code of silence (omerta). Every petty criminal knows that it behooves him to keep his mouth shut unless there’s a strong incentive to sing – like the prospect of a long stretch in stir.
Some of the biggest thieves are politicians. There’s no honor among them either, but there is a code of silence – and, by sharing their ill-gotten gains, they implicate others and secure their loyalty.
The graft can go on forever, and often does – until someone, or everyone, gets a little too greedy and so accustomed to getting away with it that they begin to think they’re invulnerable. They barely try to hide it anymore, or they actually flaunt or brag about their criminality.
Then, one of them goes a little too far, does something so brazen that it can’t be ignored, gets caught dead to rights, and sings.
That’s what’s happening in Washington right now. A bunch of grafters – who were almost positive that one crooked candidate from Chicago would replace the other – decided that they’d better take steps to ensure that outcome by spying on and sabotaging the opponent. But they got caught, and now some of them are singing.
We don’t know yet who’s singing and who isn’t, but we do know that some are and that they know enough to take down the whole gang. That means the rest of them have no incentive to remain quiet and will probably start singing, too.
There’s some singing going on in Illinois, as well, and you can bet Mike Madigan doesn’t like the tune – because, for once, he’s not calling it.
Oh, yes, it’s happening. Mighty Mike looks to be going down. Finally.
Madigan has been preying on the taxpayers of Illinois for decades, robbing us blind and ruining our state. It’s time he got what’s coming to him.