News September 2006

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Gov. Ryan apologizes for letting Illinois down

Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan was sentenced in federal court September 6 to six-and-a-half years in prison. He also was fined more than $600,000 in restitution as part of a federal corruption conviction for using public office for personal gain during his eight years as secretary of state and four years as governor.

"People of this state expected better, and I let them down," Ryan said in a statement before the sentencing, according to reports. He apologized and said it was the saddest day of his life.

The Kankakee Republican’s long road to the sentencing started with a federal indictment in December 2003, a few years after he issued a controversial moratorium on executions of Death Row inmates before leaving office in January. His seven-month trial ended in April. Ryan and Chicago businessman and close political friend Lawrence Warner were convicted on a combined 22 counts of corruption. U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer dropped a few counts for lack of evidence.

Attorney and former Gov. Jim Thompson helped defend Ryan pro bono, costing his law firm Winston & Strawn millions in lost revenue. The defense asked for no more than two-and-a-half years, far shorter than the six- to eight-year sentence sought by prosecutor Patrick Collins and the maximum 20-year sentence for federal racketeering charges.

Ryan's sentence mirrors that of Scott Fawell, his former top aide and campaign manager. He is already in prison for such crimes as diverting state money to Ryan's campaign fund and ordering employees to do campaign work on state time.

Ryan was ordered to start serving his time on January 4, but his defense team asked the judge to delay the start of the sentence through the appeals process.

For more background, consider these links:

Operation Safe Road summary (.pdf file)

Fitzgerald’s convictions (.pdf file)

U.S. attorney reveals details from case
against Ryan
Government's evidentiary proffer for United States of America v. Lawrence Warner and George H. Ryan, Sr. (.pdf)

Illinois Issues, January 11, 2004

Read our analysis: George Ryan's political career

Illinois Issues, December 17, 2003

Case summary of Operation Saferoad
(updated December 17, 2003)
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/osr/osrcasesummary.pdf

Press release, the Ryan indictment
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/pr/2003/pr121703_01.pdf