In Cook County, lowest bidder seldom wins the contract

The Daily Herald and the Better Government Association team up to expose the corruption in Crook County , Illinois:

Call it one heck of a coincidence.

Cook County officials do.

It's complete coincidence, they say, that in 2008, all 11 contracts in certain specialty areas were in some way, large or small, tied to political donors.

A joint investigation by the Daily Herald and the Better Government Association has found that the companies that received the 11 contracts worth $11.8 million in all accounted for $208,178 in campaign contributions to county officials, their relatives or funds they control. Cook County Board President Todd Stroger alone got $47,920 of those donations.

Barack Obama was a strong supporter of political machine hack Todd Stroger.