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OT- For good ol' Brent
Ex-Governor of Illinois Gets 6˝ Years in Prison
By MONICA DAVEY Published: September 7, 2006 CHICAGO, Sept. 6 - George Ryan, the former governor of Illinois who was venerated around the world by opponents of capital punishment for halting the death penalty in his state, saw the depths of his downward spiral on Wednesday as a judge sentenced him to six and a half years in federal prison for racketeering and fraud. Saying it was "the saddest day of my life," Mr. Ryan, 72, had asked for a lesser sentence, something that would not amount, he said in his booming baritone, "to a death sentence." His lawyers had recommended a prison term of no more than two and a half years, far below the federal sentencing guidelines. Mr. Ryan, who during 40 years in public office rose to become one of the area's most powerful Republicans, for the first time apologized for a scheme in which prosecutors say he put taxpayers' money toward campaign work, lied to federal agents, and handed out contracts and leases to his friends in exchange for gifts, including island vacations, for himself and his family. "People of this state expected better," he said, holding a small file of papers on a lectern before the judge, Rebecca R. Pallmeyer, of United States District Court. "I let them down. For that, I apologize." Still, Mr. Ryan, who fought the claims against him during a jury trial that lasted more than half a year, also said, "I'm proud of the life I've had." In pressing the judge to sentence Mr. Ryan to at least six and a half years, Patrick Collins, an assistant United States attorney, pointed to what he called the "mutating virus" that corruption in Illinois politics has become, and said the sentence needed to send a message that carried beyond one man or one office. "Your sentence has to speak to public officials that public corruption cannot be tolerated," he said. The remarkable unraveling of Mr. Ryan and his political career has already left a mark on this state's rough-edged political terrain. Those who once considered deal-making and favors for buddies as an ordinary, unavoidable ingredient of politics here say they have begun wondering whether an aggressive United States attorney's office may actually change that. And within hours of Mr. Ryan's sentencing, the current candidates for governor were publicly arguing over which one might be more closely linked to corruption claims. Dan K. Webb, a lawyer for Mr. Ryan, said he was deeply disappointed by the sentence. He had asked the judge to weigh Mr. Ryan's age, his health issues (Crohn's disease, diabetes, diverticulitis and high cholesterol), and what Mr. Webb described as acts of courage while in office. He pointed, in particular, to Mr. Ryan's finding in 2003, as his term as governor was ending, that the state's system of capital punishment was broken. Although Mr. Ryan had long been a supporter of the death penalty, he commuted more than 160 of the state's death sentences to life in prison, winning a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, even as his critics here said he was cynically bracing for his own indictment. On Wednesday, Mr. Webb asked that Mr. Ryan be allowed to remain free on bond until an appeal of his case can be heard, and the judge has yet to rule on that. For now, Mr. Ryan is to turn himself in on Jan. 4. Mr. Webb asked that Mr. Ryan be allowed to serve his sentence at the federal prison in Oxford, Wis., where some other local politicians have served time (including former United States Representative Dan Rostenkowski, several Chicago aldermen and a Cook County Circuit Court clerk). Mr. Ryan, a snowy-haired, ruddy-faced former pharmacist from Kankakee, began his political career in the mid-60's on the Kankakee County Board, then went on to successful runs for the General Assembly, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and, finally, one term as governor. Entering the courtroom, Mr. Ryan looked more like a politician working a room than a defendant. He politely shook hands with some in the long line of reporters, family members, ordinary spectators and other former politicians, including former Gov. James R. Thompson, seeming not to hear when a spectator called out, "Put the cuffs on, George." Mr. Ryan's friend Lawrence Warner was sentenced Wednesday to more than three years for receiving commissions from leases and contracts from Mr. Ryan's office. Elsewhere, in a political campaign season, the echoes were already being felt from the hearing. Many have blamed Mr. Ryan's woes for Republicans' recent losses in Illinois, including the loss of the governorship in 2003 to Democrats for the first time in three decades. Judy Baar Topinka, the Republican nominee for governor who served as treasurer during Mr. Ryan's administration, told reporters that she did not believe his sentence would affect her much. But she swiftly referred to the continuing federal investigation into hiring by the administration of Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, a Democrat. Mr. Blagojevich's campaign shot back immediately: "Unfortunately, Treasurer Topinka who is pointing a finger today was in a position of responsibility during the Ryan administration and was silent then." In announcing her sentence, Judge Pallmeyer seemed to be speaking to more than the politicians in the room with her. The true damage, she said, was the loss of confidence that citizens have in knowing that their government plays by the rules. "Cynicism is inconsistent with patriotism," Judge Pallmeyer said. "Government leaders have an obligation to stand as the example. Mr. Ryan failed to meet that standard." Shia Kapos contributed reporting from Chicago for this article. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/07/us/07ryan.html?ref=us ++ He's "sorry"... ----- -gpsman |
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