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At a press conference in Springfield today, Sen. Dick Durbin says he's wondering whether or not former and now convicted Governor George Ryan has served enough jail time. The Trib reports Durbin saying, "I'm taking into consideration the situation with the former governor, and whether or not a commutation should be recommended to the president, and I am considering it at this moment." Ryan was convicted on 22 counts of racketeering, fraud, bribery and corruption, and has served prison time for a little over a year of his six and a half year sentence. Is this some sort of setup to get Marc Rich knocked off the top 10 list?
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If guy who murders bald eagles can get pardoned, why not Ryan?
Also: I don't like the idea of the elderly going to jail.
Also: I don't like the idea of the elderly going to jail.
And I don't like the idea of the elderly breaking laws and engaging in corruption. In an ideal society, one that really values civic virtue, the most corrupt officials, such as Ryan, would have been dispatched by firing squad for abusing the public trust. Just because China does this from time to time does not make it wrong.
As long as us *regular* folk can go to prison forever for such ridiculousness as minor drug infractions (just an example) perhaps these rich politicians can do their time for abusing the public trust.
Anyway, I'm not surprised to see powerful politicians trying to help each other out. They live in a world of separate laws, punishments and "personal responsibilities" than the rest of us.
It's not like he's in a real prison. He's doing his time at the boy version of "Camp Cupcake".
I hear that scumbag Conrad Black is also asking for a pardon. If that jerk gets out, I will have officially lost what little faith I had left in our justice system.
Screw the elderly who break the law.
The Ryan trial itself just about erased what little faith I had left in our justice system, especially as practiced in Chicago. That was the most pathetic excuse for a judicial proceding as I've ever seen, and the fact that it result in a conviction and a 6-year sentence is disgusting. I'd be happy to see Ryan pardoned solely because of that.
It's not a request for a pardon; it's a request for clemency. The full Tribune article shows the difference. He'd get out of jail, but the conviction would stand. It sounds like a decent idea for someone as old as him.
Durbin makes a point to say that he's not recommending a pardon: "If the president commuted his sentence, Ryan would be released from prison. But unlike a pardon, a commutation would not wipe his conviction from the record. Durbin emphasized he is not pondering whether Ryan should be pardoned."
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/11/durbin-ponders.html
You've got to be freaking kidding me.
They have it backwards. They should be working ways to INCREASE Ryan's suffering.
It sounds like a decent idea for someone as old as him.
So, if one is old, one deserves mercy like this?
Even if the elderly felon has yet to show any remorse whatsoever?
That was the most pathetic excuse for a judicial proceding as I've ever seen, and the fact that it result in a conviction and a 6-year sentence is disgusting.
Bullshit. It was a fair trial, even with the jury quirks. What's disgusting is that abusing the public trust results in ONLY a 6-year sentence in a relatively pain-free prison (no, it's not a country club prison, as some like to say--it is a prison, with many discomforts--but it's not some max-security hellhole, either).
I'm going to *GASP* agree with Matilda on this one.
The man had a fair trial, he's not in some nightmare "OZ"-style jail and while he's not a spring chicken, he's hardly Mr. Burns.
A description of his prison life:
http://www.dailyherald.com/column/?id=71384
It's not great, but again, he's getting his hots, a cot and medical care. How many Illinois seniors, who aren't federal criminals, go without even that?
Here's the rub, if he gets his political, last minute pardon all he does is prove just what an operator he really is.
"If the president commuted his sentence, Ryan would be released from prison. But unlike a pardon,
haha, yeah so basically the same considering nobody cares about his "record". What a joke...
@Navin:
He'll never get that job at Starbucks now!
By the way, his case was handled Pro Bono and much of his weatlh was protected using his wife as a shield. He's got a nice comfortable life to enjoy once he's released.
I heard that Ryan's wife has sent two letters to Bush, one was hand delivered by a friend.
And it's said that Durbin might step in and ask Bush to pardon Ryan.
WTF? I'm not too educated on the subject of Chicago politics, but Durbin stepping in for Ryan?
That rankles me to no end.
@Ingrid:
Durbin's playing a sympathy card here. Note that he's not yet done anything, just "considering". I kind of doubt he'll make a formal request himself. He gets to play both sides of this, which is adroit since there is some considerable sympathy for Ryan, especially amongst some of the more aggrieved republicans.
I feel for the man's wife, who is apparently quite ill. But the person who did this to her is the once sitting in jail.