Ryan just the latest in a long list of guilty politicians

That's how many past or present elected officials have been convicted of crimes in Illinois each year on average since 1972 -- at least.

It's tough to be sure. No one really keeps a comprehensive list.

But a close scrutiny of news reports and other sources over past decades shows that at least 79 current or former Illinois, Chicago or Cook County elected officials have been found guilty by judges, juries or their own pleas.

Some fit in multiple categories, but we only counted them once, in the highest office they achieved.

We didn't include suburban politicians, appointed officials or purely political types in an effort to keep it to a manageable list.

Despite the big numbers, George Ryan is in a somewhat exclusive group.

He's one of only three former governors on the list. The bulk are aldermen and judges.

So many aldermen have gone off to jail that when 1991 passed with none being indicted or convicted, the Sun-Times ran a front-page story.

Governors: 3

Other statewide officials: 2

State legislators: 15

Congressmen: 2

Mayors: 1

Other citywide officials: 3

Aldermen: 27

Cook County judges: 19

Other Cook County officials: 7