Posted on 09/19/2005 8:55:39 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
CHICAGO - Former Gov. George Ryan arrived in court Monday to face charges stemming from a federal investigation that already has found his former campaign committee, campaign manager and chief of staff guilty of racketeering,
Federal prosecutors have accused the Ryan administration of doling out big-money state contracts and leases to political insiders, resulting in charges being brought against 79 people, including many state employees.
Ryan, who maintains he is innocent, did not speak as he made his way through security and defense attorney Dan Webb said they had decided not to comment publicly during the trial.
"This is going to be a long trial. It's going to last several months," Webb said. "One thing I'm confident of is at the end of the day, after the jury's heard all of the evidence, they will find and see that George Ryan is not guilty of all charges in this indictment."
Some 300 prospective jurors had filled out detailed questionnaires last week asking them about their backgrounds and how much they followed political scandals.
Ryan, who won accolades from capital punishment critics by clearing the state's death row before he left office in 2003, faces 22 charges of racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud, lying to the FBI and tax fraud.
"They haven't got one witness that said they gave me a corrupt dollar or they paid me off in any fashion with money," the 71-year-old Republican said in a July interview with Chicago's WGN-TV.
The charges grew out of the federal government's Operation Safe Road, which initially focused on bribes exchanged for drivers licenses but over seven years expanded into a full-blown investigation of political corruption when Ryan was secretary of state and later governor.
Of the 79 people charged, 73 have been convicted and none acquitted.
Ryan's former chief of staff, Scott Fawell, who is now serving a 6 1/2-year sentence, is penciled in as the government's leadoff witness and prosecutors say he could be on the stand for as long as three weeks.
Ryan was elected secretary of state in 1990, served two four-year terms and was elected governor in 1998. But he retired after just one term as the so-called bribes-for-licenses scandal grew and his support in opinion polls took a swan dive.
"He was basically unelectable by the time he made the decision not to run," said University of Illinois-Springfield political scientist Kent Redfield.
Just before leaving office, Ryan pardoned four men on death row, saying evidence against them was unconvincing, and commuted the sentences of the remaining 167 death row inmates to life. He had earlier put a hold on state executions, citing a flawed system that sent 13 wrongfully convicted men to death row.
Some death penalty opponents now stand by his side.
"My assessment is that the government case relies entirely on witnesses of extremely dubious credibility whose testimony has been procured under extreme coercion," said Rob Warden, executive director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University law school.
At the core of the indictment is an allegation that Ryan gave Warner all but free reign to see that leases and contracts in the secretary of state's office went to Warner's clients. Millions of dollars for computers, license plate stickers, laminated strips for vehicle titles and a digital drivers licensing system were awarded this way, according to prosecutors.
Warner, in turn, funneled two loans totaling $145,000, one of which was never paid back, into the foundering business of a Ryan family member, prosecutors claim. They say that Warner pumped $6,000 more into a Ryan family business and paid more than $3,000 in Ryan family wedding expenses while furnishing other unspecified money and gifts to his political benefactor.
Ryan declined to discuss the trial with The Associated Press.
"It's one of those things that's happened. We'll see how it all comes together," he told the AP in a recent interview.
Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan attends a rally in this Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003 file photo, in Harrisburg, Pa., where Ryan called for a moratorium on executions in Pennsylvania. Ryan won accolades for clearing the state's death row, but a scandal that destroyed his popularity and made him unelectable in 2002 has now brought him to a critical confrontation. (AP Photo/Brad C Bower, FILE)
"It's one of those things that's happened. We'll see how it all comes together," he told the AP in a recent interview.
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S*** Corruption haPPens.. yaknow.
Yes, but he was such a hero for ending the death penalty for murderers in Illinois! That's all that matters, right? (sarc. off)
Whatta guy. Ryan said he just couldn't muster up what it takes to flip the switch on a condemned prisoner. Of course, his problem making ethical decisions was a hallmark of his career.
Ryan was one of the biggest crooks in politics, and I hope he gets convicted. It is a shame he had an (R) beside his name.
If there ever was a RINO Hall of Fame, Ryan would be a charter member.
Ryan is probably against the death penalty because one of his crimes carries the death penalty.
That's right. And that's why I crossed over and voted for Glenn Poshard. I never regretted it.
There were a few others up high in Ill government that should have been locked up too, but who goes after the guys at the top of LE.
This is a political trial brought about by the daley's.
JJ JR for Mayor.
This is what happens when you elect RINOs.
There is only ONE thing worse than a crooked Democrat (and most of them are) and that's a crooked Republican.
Maybe he'll get lucky with his jury. Maybe he'll see family members of some of the murderers he has in effect set free.
If worst comes to worst, Ryan could flee to Cuba. I'm sure his pal Fidel would welcome him.
Along with Don Sundquist, our RINO ex-gov from Tennessee. Funny thing, the feds are also sniffing around Sundquist in a scandal where an totally unqualified PR firm got a no bid contract from the state of Tennessee. These RINOs seem to emulate the DemonRats in their personal corruption as well as their politics.
It ought to. One of the nastier parts of the scandal is that an individual who bought a truck driver's license drove recklessly in Wisconsin and killed (I think) a family of six.
Tip of the iceburg. Illinois press and politicians have a penchant for syndicated crime.
bttt
Is there any issue where Ryan ran to the right of his opponent? For that matter, is there any issue where Ryan ran to the right of Chuck Schumer?
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