From the Chicago Sun-Times

Former governor Ryan is facing an uphill battle
December 29, 2003
BY STEVE NEAL SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
After the indictment of former Gov. George H. Ryan on corruption charges,
his lawyer Dan K. Webb predicted that jurors would cut his client some slack
because of all the good that he has done.
''Most recently, [Ryan] has achieved worldwide renown as the only governor
in the history of our nation,'' Webb noted, "to have the courage to reform a
state's broken-down death penalty system that was putting innocent people on
Death Row. The jurors will identify with his courage and public service.''
If Webb had applied this standard during President Richard M. Nixon's
impeachment proceedings, he could have argued that Nixon had gained
international acclaim for opening relations with the People's Republic of
China, ending the Vietnam war and slowing the arms race with the Soviet
Union. Like Ryan, Nixon was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
But none of those historic accomplishments were taken into consideration
during Nixon's impeachment proceedings. The only issue was his alleged
involvement in the Watergate cover-up. Twenty-five Nixon administration
officials went to prison for their roles in the scandals.
The House Judiciary Committee, in voting to impeach Nixon, concluded that he
had obstructed justice, subverted the Constitution and abused power.
Ryan is charged with racketeering conspiracy, mail and tax fraud, making
untruthful statements to FBI agents and filing false tax returns. It is
alleged that he took kickbacks and obstructed justice.
These charges, rather than Ryan's ''worldwide renown,'' are the only issues
that should be taken into account at the former governor's trial.
Ryan is facing an uphill battle. There have been 66 indictments, 59
convictions or plea agreements, and no acquittals in the five-year probe of
the Ryan scandals known as Operation Safe Road. Among those convicted are
Ryan's former chief of staff Scott Fawell and his inspector general Dean
Bauer.
But the former governor is the central figure in the bloodiest scandal in
Illinois history.
During Ryan's tenure as secretary of state, the U.S. Justice Department has
proved that some of his employees took bribes, sold commercial driver's
licenses to unqualified truckers and funneled money into Ryan's campaign
fund. At least nine people died from accidents involving truck drivers who
bought their licenses from Ryan's office.
Federal prosecutors are alleging that Ryan impeded the investigation of the
illegal actions of his employees. Ryan and his henchmen covered up this
misconduct without remorse.
It's disappointing that Webb and former Gov. James R. Thompson, who as
federal prosecutors made their reputations going after corrupt public
officials, have emerged as Ryan's chief apologists. The former governor is,
of course, entitled to the strongest defense team that he can assemble. But
it's astonishing that former prosecutors Webb and Thompson are embracing a
public official who compromised the public safety with such reckless
disregard.
Thirty years ago, Webb successfully prosecuted Edward J. Barrett, a former
Illinois secretary of state and clerk of Cook County, on charges of bribery
and mail fraud in connection with the purchase of voting machines. In
contrast with Ryan's alleged wrongdoing, Barrett's misconduct didn't leave
blood on the highways.
After winning the Barrett case, Webb said he hoped that this verdict would
have ''a deterrent impact on other elected officials who might consider
accepting bribes.''
As a federal prosecutor, Webb directed Operation Greylord, an undercover
investigation of judicial corruption that resulted in the conviction of 15
judges, 50 lawyers, four court clerks and 13 police officers. He personally
tried and won the conviction of Richard F. LeFevour, chief judge of the
Traffic Court, on 70 counts including racketeering, bribery, mail fraud and
tax fraud.
Thirty years ago, Thompson prosecuted former Gov. Otto Kerner on 19 counts
of conspiracy, income-tax evasion, mail fraud and lying to a grand jury.
Kerner had obtained racetrack stock at a fraction of its value and had sold
this stock at a large profit. In return, he gave preferential treatment to
the briber.
''At the heart of the matter,'' Thompson said then, ''this is a case of
bribery and fraud, and lies and evasions to conceal the bribery and fraud.''
Kerner, who chaired President Lyndon Johnson's National Advisory Commission
on Civil Disorders, gained fame for its report that concluded the United
States was ''moving toward two societies, one black and one white --
separate and unequal.''
But Kerner was tried on the evidence, not on his reputation. It is unseemly
that Thompson and Webb, who made their careers battling public corruption,
are attempting to generate public sympathy for this looter of the public
domain.