From The Chicago Sun-Times:

Friends want to help Ryan pay legal bills

July 17, 2002

BY TIM NOVAK STAFF REPORTER

Gov. Ryan's friends have quietly set up a trust fund to pay his legal bills.

Richard Parrillo, a Chicago insurance executive, will run the Friends of George Ryan Fund. Parrillo is one of the few members of Ryan's inner circle who hasn't been caught up in the growing scandal that erupted with the disclosure that driver's licenses were sold for bribes while Ryan was secretary of state.

"The trust fund was formed at the behest of friends who are seeking to support him,'' Ryan spokesman Dennis Culloton said Tuesday. "The fund's purpose may include defraying legal expenses as well as supporting programs and initiatives that promote the reform of the criminal justice system and other philanthropic pursuits the governor may get involved in after he leaves office'' in January.

Ryan has been paying his legal bills with his campaign fund, but there is little money left because a federal judge agreed to have $1 million set aside from the fund, the amount federal prosecutors say Ryan's campaign owes taxpayers for illegally using state employees and equipment to elect Ryan as governor in 1998.

Lobbyists and state contractors have pledged to help pay the governor's defense. But the trust fund will not accept donations from state employees, Culloton said. Ryan will annually disclose the contributions starting Dec. 1.

"Hopefully, soon there will be a post office box where you can send a check or you can wait for an invitation to an event that someone will sponsor,'' Culloton said.

Rosemont Mayor Donald Stephens, a close Ryan ally, held a luncheon for the governor last week, but Culloton said the governor didn't receive any money from those supporters.

Stephens refused to discuss the event, simply saying: "Whatever support we can give him we will. There's nothing more to say about it.''