From the Daily Herald:
Why the name George Ryan wasn't allowed in this house
By Chuck Goudie
Daily Herald Editorial Columnist
Posted Monday, April 24, 2006

We all touch other people's lives in ways we can't even imagine.
For example, former Illinois Gov. George Ryan doesn't realize how he
influenced the life of a man named Garry Mentink of Addison.
And, says Mentink's family, his death.
"My father was a DuPage County sheriff's police officer for 33 years
before he retired in 1988 — his final rank was sergeant," says
Mentink's daughter Barb Sacheck.
Sacheck contacted me while the Ryan corruption trial was under way. I
have been saving the story until the proceedings ended. Now that Ryan
has been convicted, here it is.
"Let me start by saying we were forbidden to utter the name George
Ryan in our house," says Sacheck. "If at one time or another, someone
slipped and mentioned that name, screaming, shouting, and bellowing of
words I refuse to repeat would ensue, followed by hours of 'better not
talk to your father right now.'æ"
What could possibly have caused such rancor in her lawman father?
Mentink's family believes he was passed over for promotions multiple
times because he would not help raise money for Ryan.
"He would take his captain's test year after year and usually rank
first, second or third every time, yet he was always passed over for
someone who was ranked No. 14, No. 23, etc. Why? Because he refused to
raise money, sell tickets, solicit or whatever else it was being
called that year — for George Ryan," Sacheck recalls.
A spokeswoman for the current DuPage County sheriff did not respond to
requests for comment over the weekend.
Mentink was among thousands of government workers who were muscled for
money over the years. Most handed over the cash as a personal cost of
doing business. Kind of like gas money or a uniform.
During the trial we heard how Ryan enjoyed cash "gifts" from staff
members at Christmastime, down to the lowly paid janitors and
secretaries.
But Mentink was one of the countless men and women in Illinois
expected to cough up campaign donations to Ryan, even though they
didn't directly work for him.
They were the cops, clerks and bean counters who happened to be public
employees working on Ryan-connected turf or for a Ryan-connected boss.
Some who bellied up to the Ryan bar for campaign dinner tickets and
golf outing foursomes didn't even work for government, including car
dealers, trucking company owners and other business people whose
livelihoods were in some way connected to the state government that
was Ryan's sustenance for more than 30 years.
Not everyone succumbed to Ryan's squeeze play. Had they, George and
Lura Lynn might have been able to actually pay for their annual
Jamaica vacations and center court Bulls' tickets. But many of those
who resisted coughing up the money ended up choking on their own
ethics. They paid a different kind of price: stalled careers … or
worse.
"Needless to say, there is a sad ending to my story," says Sacheck.
"My father not only was an alcoholic … he was very depressed and
frustrated because he was an outstanding officer (I have a scrapbook
my grandmother saved with all of the articles that were written of the
cases he solved) and was held back because of one person."
George Ryan.
It may not have been criminal, the way Ryan extracted money from
people for so long, but was a crime against Illinois humanity the way
it made people like Garry Mentink suffer in silence.
"I truly believe his life was so sad because of Ryan and the role he
played — controlling all government in DuPage County at that time. I
have to respect my dad for his refusal to play the game. He died at 68
of lung cancer," says Sacheck.
Garry Mentink died on tax day 2002.
George Ryan was convicted on tax day 2006.
"I wish he was here to see Ryan rot in jail," she said. "He always
told me that eventually he would get what's coming to him. I just wish
he was alive to see it happen."~~~~~