FBI opened 5,000 corruption probes over 4 year span (USA Today): St. Johns County residents are patiently waiting for results.

Pending FBI investigations include Tallahassee and Central Florida. We're waiting for action from the FBI on St. Johns County Sheriff DAVID SHOAR et pals for their obstructing justice in the Michelle O'Connell case. The New York Times and PBS Frontline have documented this case in 2013 and 2017 stories, part of a New York Times series on corruption in St. Johns County.
Yes, my friends, the FBI opened 5,000 corruption probes over a four year span.
St. Johns County residents are patiently waiting for results.
We applaud the FBI for its taking on corrupt public officials, from local ones to the White House.
The whole world is watching.
Here's the USA TODAY story:

FBI opened 5,000 corruption probes over 4 year span

Jeff Burlew, Democrat senior writerPublished 12:03 p.m. ET Aug. 5, 2017 | Updated 6:10 p.m. ET Aug. 5, 2017

VIDEOS: FBI INVESTIGATION INTO THE TALLAHASSEE CRAWatch it: What's 90,000 pages? | 0:44

The city of Tallahassee turned over 90,000 pages to the FBI. We help you picture it. Wochit

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VIDEOS: FBI INVESTIGATION INTO THE TALLAHASSEE CRAWatch it: City attorney talks FBI probe | 4:04

City attorney Lew Shelley advises the mayor and commissioners about an FBI investigation involving the Community Redevelopment Agency. Tallahassee Democrat Jeffrey Schweers/Democrat

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VIDEOS: FBI INVESTIGATION INTO THE TALLAHASSEE CRAWatch it: Who is Mike Miller? | 1:38

Is Mike Miller a developer from Atlanta? Or someone else? Wochit

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VIDEOS: FBI INVESTIGATION INTO THE TALLAHASSEE CRAErwin Jackson Blasts Commissioner Maddox and City Hall | 2:32

Frequent City Hall critic Erwin Jackson blasts Commissioner Maddox

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VIDEOS: FBI INVESTIGATION INTO THE TALLAHASSEE CRAWatch it: Federal grand jury subpoenas city for CRA documents | 0:48

A federal grand jury has asked the city of Tallahassee for records involving the Community Redevelopment Agency involving top local developers and business people. Wochit

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VIDEOS: FBI INVESTIGATION INTO THE TALLAHASSEE CRAWatch it: What is the Tallahassee CRA? | 0:52

An explanation of the Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency. Democrat staff

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Next Video

• 
  Watch it: What's 90,000 pages?
• 
  Watch it: City attorney talks FBI probe
• 
  Watch it: Who is Mike Miller?
• 
  Erwin Jackson Blasts Commissioner Maddox and City Hall
• 
  Watch it: Federal grand jury subpoenas city for CRA documents
• 
  Watch it: What is the Tallahassee CRA?

(Photo: Melina Vastola/For the Democrat, Melina Vastola/For the Democrat)

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The FBI in a statement released August 2016 said that in the preceding four years, it initiated nearly 5,000 investigations into public corruption, government fraud or election crimes. The figures are the most recent from the agency.

Over the same time period, nearly 3,000 people across the country were federally charged, by indictment or information, for their roles in these crimes, the FBI said.

Here are a few high-profile public corruption cases from recent years:

• Edwin Pawlowski, the mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Vaughn Spencer, the former mayor of Reading, Pennsylvania, were both charged with numerous violations of federal public corruption laws in indictments unsealed July 26. Federal prosecutors said both men "sold their offices to the highest bidder" in various pay-for-pay schemes, which were uncovered after a four-year investigation by the FBI and others.

Pawlowski accepted gifts including lavish dinners, Philadelphia Eagles tickets and more than $150,000 in campaign contributions in exchange for steering lucrative contracts to vendors, and Spencer bribed a city council member to try to repeal a local ethics ordinance, prosecutors said. The charges came after a four-year investigation that also has led to pleas by 10 other people. Pawlowski has denied wrongdoing; Vaughn's lawyer said he plans to fight the charges.

More: FBI sting operation in central Florida bears similarities to Tallahassee probe

Public records fight: Mayor's office whited out calendar

City officials could be reimbursed for legal fees in FBI probe

• Bob McDonnell, former Republican governor of Virginia, and his wife were convicted in 2014 on federal corruption charges involving gifts and loans from a businessman. However, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously vacated the decision last year because the gifts could not be tied to a specific government action. The U.S. Justice Department later announced it would not seek a new trial.

• Reggie Fullwood, a former Florida House member from Jacksonville, pleaded guilty last year to federal wire fraud and tax charges.

Federal prosecutors said Fullwood, a Democrat, funneled campaign contributions into companies he owned or controlled for his own private use. He was sentenced earlier this year to six months of home detention followed by supervision. He resigned from the Florida House last year.