Is Philadelphia The Most Corrupt City In The Country? Local Leaders Weigh In
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--On the heels of Seth Williams' indictment, VICE News asked a question this week that got a whole lot of attention: "Is Philadelphia the most corrupt city in the country?"
This month it was District Attorney Seth Williams.
In December, it was then Congressman Chaka Fattah convicted of misusing grant money.
In 2015, Municipal Court Judge Joseph Waters Jr. was sentenced to prison for fixing cases to favor allies.
And in 2013, seven of nine city traffic court judges were charged with corruption.
"To an extent, one-party rule is a factor in it," said former Philadelphia mayor and governor of Pennsylvania Ed Rendell.
For over 50 years, one political party has controlled the city of Philadelphia.
"We tip the balance to the point where it makes it very hard for political competition to take place," said David Thornburgh, president and CEO of the Committee of Seventy.
Registered Democrats outnumber city Republicans 7 to 1. The ratio is identical to the number of Democrats running against a sole Republican for city district attorney.
"Beyond that, we also shut out independent voters from primary elections so there are almost as many independent voters as Republicans and they have no voice," Thornburgh said.
Considering those odds, Rendell feels fresh blood is needed, but from within the reigning party.
"We need to make the party more open, more attractive to people of different walks of life and different segments of the city and to make it more competitive," he says.
Rendell adds that term limits and a committee focused appointing system would help.
So is Philadelphia the most corrupt city in the country?
Well, Thornburgh says those stats are hard to quantify, but, "We have some of the toughest campaign finance limits and laws and we have a very strong board of ethics."
Meaning scandals, while not good public relations, could point to something gone right.
"These people got caught and their careers are over. Their lives ruined, so to some extent I'd say the system works," he says.
Thornburgh added that when dealing with political bribes they're not only taken but offered.
Therefore, residents in the city have to take some responsibility as well to not become complacent to criminal activity.