Posted on 03/11/2006 3:04:07 PM PST by Former Military Chick
Starting Monday, six men and six women will begin deciding former Gov. George Ryan's fate after hearing five days of closing arguments in Ryan's public corruption trial this week.
Prosecutors got the last word with jurors Friday as the nearly six-month trial came to a close. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Collins looked at each juror and, citing their occupations, said justice was in the hands of "people who raise our families," people who work in the post office, at Walgreens, at Home Depot, grocery stores and as bartenders.
"You are the most important team in Chicago right now," Collins said.
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Collins ran through the indictment against Ryan, saying the former governor breached the public trust and that co-defendant Lawrence Warner helped him do it.
He told jurors to reject the defense argument that it was political mastermind Scott Fawell who directed corruption in Ryan's political organization. Collins said Fawell was Ryan's creation.
" Scott Fawell only did what his master allowed him to do," Collins said. "Scott Fawell was Frankenstein for George Ryan."
Collins ran through benefits he said flowed between Ryan and Warner during Ryan's years as secretary of state and governor. He said Warner got $3 million worth of lobbying money and lease deals after Ryan steered contracts to him. Collins listed the loans, gifts, insurance adjustment and other benefits that flowed from Warner to Ryan and various Ryan family members in return.
It was "the community bank of Larry Warner for the Ryan family," Collins said.
Collins said Warner paid the cost of a wedding band for one of Ryan's daughters. The daughter, sitting in the front row, started to tear up as Collins talked about it.
Her dad looked at her and gave her an encouraging wink and a half smile. Warner paid for the band as a gift to Ryan's daughter, whom he cared about, the defense has said.
Ryan's family, including six children, their spouses and others, have been in the courtroom throughout closing arguments and some of the trial. Late Thursday and Friday, they appeared deflated. For several minutes during Collins' argument, George Ryan Jr. lowered his head in his hands. Warner's wife also had been present daily at the trial.
Ryan's team put up a vigorous defense. Ryan lawyer Dan Webb said prosecutors essentially nitpicked Ryan into a federal courtroom. Warner's lawyer, Ed Genson, said his client was longtime friends with Ryan and a businessman trying to do business.
How the money flowed
But Collins said the defense downplayed the clout Warner carried during Ryan's tenure in office and he had the clout because he kept giving Ryan perks. As a lobbyist, Warner once landed a state deal for his client even though a competitor was represented by former Gov. Jim Thompson, Collins said.
"Little Larry Warner with his slingshot, the insurance man at his little office at Belmont and Western, he slung his slingshot and slew Jim Thompson, the former governor," Collins said. "He did that because he had George Ryan."
Collins put up a chart showing how the money flowed during Ryan's administration: Warner made more than $3 million; friend Harry Klein, with whom Ryan vacationed in Jamaica, made more than $600,000; lobbyist Ron Swanson, who paid for a Disney World vacation for a Ryan daughter and took Ryan to Cancun, got $623,815; and longtime Ryan pal Donald Udstuen got more than $367,000.
"Ron Swanson wins. George Ryan wins. The taxpayers get screwed. That's the story," Collins told them.
Scott and Janet Willis, whose children were killed in a 1994 accident tied to corruption in Ryan's administration, praised the prosecution Friday.
"I've got a real hero, and that's Pat Collins. I thank God for Pat Collins and the job that he did, his character and the team of prosecutors,"Scott Willis said.
'I felt pity for this man'
But Willis said he felt for Ryan as a grandfather and father. He said he looked at Ryan at the end of Collins' closing remarks.
"I felt sorrow, I felt pity for this man. The lost opportunities of doing the right thing," Willis said.
Whatever the jury decides, Scott Willis said, he and his wife are grateful their story had been told in court.
"There is a greater justice and that is before the Lord," Willis said. "That justice is perfect and pure and we may have to wait and see exactly what that is."
He affected so many lives when chose to remove the folks from the death row. It leaves me with little pity for the guy and frankly I think he is guilty of the said charges. But, it is up to the jury.
Ryan a Republican and a corrupt RINO to boot! I too hope he get's what he's got comming to him.
22 counts to consider... that'll be one tired jury. Justice delayed is justice denied. Ryan is, in some ways, symbolic of the corrupt system of politics throughout Illinois. He is the epitome and personification of the RINO wing of the GOP in IL. The chickens continue to find their way back home to roost in IL. Watch this godfather of back room politics file an appeal... nature might very well beat the courts to the punch when it comes to Ryan being served his just due. I look for him to keel over dead before he ever spends one day in prison. Despicable is inadequate by magnitudes in describing this wretched man. Arrogant; his picture is beside the word in the dictionary. Burn in hell you SOB!
PING
Have to tell you Ryan's name just makes me cringe. Goodness could you imagine if he had to go to the slammer?
I also detest his pardons of everyone on death row. Screw him.
I wonder how much he was bribed to pardon those on death row and if he is a sociopath.
George Ryan was a corrupt SOB. Never liked this leftie.
Ryan is the epitome of business-as-usual corruption of the IL GOP Establishment going back to the bad old days of the last GOP Chicago Mayor, Big Bill Thompson (who was in the back pocket of Capone and other mafia figures). He damn well deserves to do a stint in prison.
Do you know Bill Thompson's most famous statement?
Scott and Janet Willis, whose children were killed in a 1994 accident tied to corruption in Ryan's administration, praised the prosecution Friday.
"Vote early and vote often."
Not if I have anything to do with it.
Got Guv?
L
Anyone who would cheat on Jeri Ryan is a moron and deserves hard time. Not to mention the fact that he is guilty as sin.
Isn't there a Ryan expressway? Is it crumbling yet?
Detroit Metro Airport (not in Detroit) had major renovations under county exec McNamara. A few billion spent. Now runways are crumbling. Core samples revealed wood/trash filler used. McNamara was indicted by the feds for payola scam. Too bad he died before trial.
Why do politicians lose there morality?
Um... You're confusing Jack Ryan with George Ryan. Jack NEVER cheated on Jeri (she did cheat on him with the twerpy Star Trek writer Brannon Braga). Jack was probably the first person in political history who was forced to quit a campaign because he WANTED to have sex with his own wife.
Boo. Hoo. < /sound of world's smallest violin >
Amen!
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