Former Gov. Ryan Could Face Charges

CBS 2 Chicago ^ | December 16, 2003 | Mike Flannery

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

CHICAGO (CBS 2) Former Illinois Governor George Ryan could soon be facing serious federal charges.

Sources at the Department of Justice in Washington tell CBS 2 that potential charges include income tax violations, extortion and racketeering. The charges could come down as early as Wednesday.

George Ryan now has one of the best defense lawyers in America, former U.S. Atty. Dan Webb. He's met repeatedly with prosecutors trying to persuade them not to file criminal charges, but he has told CBS 2 News that he, too, fears an indictment could come soon.

The investigation began more than 5 years ago and focused at first on low-level employees of then Secretary of State George Ryan. Dozens were subsequently convicted in connection with selling drivers' licenses for bribe money that ended up in the coffers of Citizens for Ryan, the multi-million dollar political war chest that helped him win election as governor.

The federal government indicted and convicted that fund as a continuing criminal conspiracy in a trial some saw as a preview of possible proceedings involving the former governor himself.

For years Ryan insisted he did nothing wrong. Since becoming a target of the investigation more than a year ago, Ryan has declined to make any comment at all regarding the investigation.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and his assistants have given us glimpses of their potential case against Ryan. While prosecuting others, they have referred to Ryan as "Official A.”

Public aired allegations include claims that Ryan took thousands of dollars in cash and gifts from a series of people who got state contracts and favors, ranging from relatively trivial low-digit license plates to no-bid deals worth millions of tax dollars.

U.S. Atty Patrick Fitzgerald's office had no comment regarding possible pending federal charges against Ryan.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Yes.

[JustPiper]

Its about time!!!

From a former Illinois supporter

[JohnBovenmyer]

As soon as the Ryan scandal broke and it became clear it would have legs the Illinois GOP should have started impeachment proceedings and booted out their (allegedly) own Governor. Then they should have never run another "Ryan" to try to replace him. And now the party leadership is backing yet another "Ryan" for the Senate race! W really needs to knock some sense into them before the public backlash spills over on the remaining GOP House seats and onto W's chances as well.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Johnnie Cochran was busy. You take what you can get.

[Theodore R.]

The "first" Ryan is one of many RINOs who have worked to destroy the Republican party in the name of supporting the "lesser of two evils."

[sarasota]

Make that "Chicago is a mob city"; the rest of Illinois gets to suffer the consequences of Cook County.

[Stephen Ritter]

Kid, I'm glad that this guy is getting justice. You should know, however, that he's a RINO.

When he ran for governor, the Democrats had a true conservative from southern Illinois at the top of their ticket. Boss Daley ordered his people to work for Ryan, who never saw a conservative principle that he liked.

Weakened by the "License for Bribes" Scandal, Ryan's only hope of staying in the governor's mansion was to become a yes-man for Daley. I remember one banquet in which Daley called Ryan, "The best governor in Illinois history".

I agree with the posts who claim that Ryan singlehandedly destroyed the GOP in Illinois. In fact, he established the principle in this state that only a moderate ... read that "SOMONE WHO ALWAYS VOTES WITH THE DEMS" ... can be elected to public office.

As the President said the other day, "Good riddance ...". I hope that he enjoys being cloistered ...

[Piranha]

If I had to guess, I would say that they didn't mention that he's a Democrat because he is a Republican.

[Piranha]

Are you accusing ex-governor Ryan of arson?

[Piranha]

Ex-governor Ryan was born in Iowa and was a congressman from Kankakee. He had nothing to do with Chicago.

[Piranha]

Apparently, there's enough evidence left even after that horrible fire, or they wouldn't be preparing to indict him.

[sarasota]

I was responding to post #20.

[Space Wrangler]

Can I assume that Ryan is a dim since I don't see "Republican Governor facing charges" in the title, and the fact that Ryan's name isn't described as a Republican at least 11 times in the article??

[Piranha]

Keep reading. He's a Republican.

[an amused spectator]

Keep reading. He's a Republican.

A "Republican" that only a Chicago Democrat could love...

I bash the Stupid Party plenty, but I won't use this piece of work to do it. I'd like to know the whole story on him. It's beginning to look like Illinois is a whole 'nother country...

...What should have been even more obvious to voters was George Ryan's planned assault on gun owners. In campaign literature, Ryan reminded the soccer moms of suburban Chicago that he supported the Brady Bill, even when it was unfashionable among Republicans; that he was in favor of mandatory trigger locks for guns inside homes where children are present, and that parents who resist should be charged with felonies. Surprise, surprise: When elected governor, George Ryan pushed for gun-control laws even beyond what he had promised, insisting that anyone transporting a gun—even one contained in a case—in a vehicle in which ammunition is "readily accessible" should be charged with a felony. This was part of his version of the Safe Neighborhoods Act—a piece of legislation designed to reinstate Draconian gun-control measures found unconstitutional by the Illinois State Supreme Court. Governor Ryan tried to ram his Safe Neighborhoods Act through the Illinois House last Christmas, by calling a special legislative session that forced many of the state reps to stay in Springfield during the holiday break. The bill passed the following spring, but only after the charge for a first-time criminal offense (say, for some hunter who travels with his box of bird-shot shells in the floorboard of his pickup) was reduced to a misdemeanor—and that's only for the first offense. All bets are off, though, if your pistol is loaded and under the seat (say, in the case of some honest, taxpaying citizen who has to drive through a gangland every day on his way to work). -Aaron D. Wolf

[Piranha]

When he ran for governor, the Democratic candidate was more conservative than he was.