RI Ranked 6th Most Corrupt by Bezos-Owned Washington Post - Who Often Paid Zero in Fed Income Tax

RI Ranked 6th Most Corrupt by Bezos-Owned Washington Post - Who Often Paid Zero in Fed Income Tax

Another day, another ranking.

This week, the Washington Post deemed Rhode Island the sixth most corrupt state in the country. 

Aaron Black in his column “New York, Andrew Cuomo, and the six most corrupt states in the country” ranks New York as number one, where since the 2006 election, "18 people combined have served in [NY statewide] positions, and 11 of them ultimately succumbed to scandals."

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The Washington Post is owned by Jeff Bezos — featured prominently this summer in the ProPublica exposé, “The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax.”

Regarding Rhode Island's corruption ranking, Black writes: 

There’s Republican-turned-independent Mayor Buddy Cianci’s repeated convictions (and his ability to keep his political career going despite them). There’s former state House speaker Gordon Fox (D). There’s former governor Edward DiPrete (R). And there’s lots of other state legislators, mayors and city council members.

Topping Rhode Island besides NY? According to the Black, New Jersey, Alabama, Louisiana, and Illinois. 

As for that look at Bezos, ProPublica wrote: 

Consider Bezos’ 2007, one of the years he paid zero in federal income taxes. Amazon’s stock more than doubled. Bezos’ fortune leaped $3.8 billion, according to Forbes, whose wealth estimates are widely cited. How did a person enjoying that sort of wealth explosion end up paying no income tax?

In that year, Bezos, who filed his taxes jointly with his then-wife, MacKenzie Scott, reported a paltry (for him) $46 million in income, largely from interest and dividend payments on outside investments. He was able to offset every penny he earned with losses from side investments and various deductions, like interest expenses on debts and the vague catchall category of “other expenses.”