IBC

A guy I used to work for went to prison today to start a 6 and 1/2 year sentence. He is 73 years old. The prison is a minimum security camp at the federal prison which houses about 200 inmates. I worked for the Illinois Department of Corrections for 10 years and I know first hand that even minimum security prison is a painful experience. The newly incarated man is the former Governor of the State of Illinois.

The former Governor was told to arrive empty-handed. Today he was fingerprinted, photographed and given prison garb - a tan shirt and pants, white socks and steel-toed shoes.

Prison is a hard adjustment for anybody. In his case the hardest adjustment will likely be the separation from his wife and family. He will be told when to eat, when the lights go out and what to do. The second hardest adjustment will be the daily chores he will be expected to perform which will include mopping floors, cleaning toilets, raking leaves, cutting grass, painting and shoveling snow.

It is hard for me picture ... it will be even harder for him.

What did he do?

Angels wrote:What did he do?

The former Governor was convicted in April 2006 of fraud, conspiracy and other charges. His request to stay out on bail pending further appeals was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday. Prior to being elected Governor he had served in the Illinois House of Representatives and was the Speaker; he had also served as Lieutenant Governor as well as Secretary of State.

During his lengthy federal trial there was evidence presented that he turned the Secretary of Stateís office into an arm of his campaign organization, pressuring employees for contributions. Some of those employees came up with the money by taking bribes to issue driverís licenses to unqualified people.

The evidence suggests one of those unqualified drivers was behind the wheel of a truck that lost a tail light and mud flap on a busy Wisconsin interstate. A van hit the part and burst into flames. Six children burned to death.

While in the Governorís office, the evidence indicates that he steered millions of dollars in state leases and contracts to political insiders who showered him with gifts, including trips to a Jamaican resort, a free golf bag and $145,000 in loans to his brotherís floundering business.

The former Governor was certainly not an Angel. Was he a crooked politician - YOU BET! Should he be jailed for his political shenanigan's - YOU BET! Did he kill those kids - NO! He's finally going to jail for his crimes but murder is definitely not one of the crimes he committed! I just don't buy the arguement that he is responsible for the deaths of that family. He wasn't driving the truck, he did not issue the license to that truck driver. He wasn't tried for or convicted of murder but in nearly every press account for the last ten years there has been references to that tragic accident and many people who do not like him accuse of murder.

My wife, Patti, and I discussed this quite a bit last evening. My heart goes out to him and his family. I blame, in part, the Chicago style of politics stemming from way back, all the crooks and scavengers who circle around virtually every Illinois state-wide political candidate. Can it be stopped? I do not know. In particular I am saddened for his wife, Laura Lynn. In addition to being sent to prison his pension from the State of Illinois has been taken away so she not only lost her husband but also lost her most viable means of support. I agree that he should lose it for the time he was convicted of official corruption (while Governor and Secretary of State) - but I think his wife should have been allowed to get the pension for the 30 plus years he served in the House and as Lieutenat Governor.

He was found guilty and should go to jail yet, I am still very saddened for him and his family. He is still a husband, father, grandpa and human being. That he is does not excuse the acts that he was found guilty of ... still going to jail at 73 years of age will be very hard for him and his family. It's just another sad testament to Illinois putrid political climate - a situation I am glad is in my rear view mirror ...

He indirectly killed those kids. You could even say that those employees that were issuing those liscences can be held responsible as well.

It will be hard for his family and his wife, butthink about the affect of the family thats now dead is having on their family/friends. I think justice has been served and there should not be any remorse about it.

Im sure she enjoyed the resort as much as he did.

Angels wrote: Im sure she enjoyed the resort as much as he did.

Laura Lynn didn't go ... his Chief of Staff - also rightly incarated - did.

Mets wrote:

Angels wrote: Im sure she enjoyed the resort as much as he did.

Laura Lynn didn't go ... his Chief of Staff - also rightly incarated - did.

Wow...yea..sorry man...but he should rot in hell...Just my opinion.

Angels wrote:Wow...yea..sorry man...but he should rot in hell...Just my opinion.

Actually Dave we are not that far apart on this ... he should go to jail for the wrongful acts he was convicted of. And like most reasonable people, I feel bad for Rev Willis and his family. I am sad that greed and corruption have split apart the Ryan family.

Where we disagree is that there is no nexus to implicate the former Governor for murder.

Like the former Governor I also went through a lengthy Federal trial. Unlike the Governor I was found not guilty. While serving as Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Public Aid I was charged with 16 counts of mail fraud and one count of misapplication of federal funds. Three defendants and the company, Management Services of Illinois, Inc. had been found guilty earlier in connection with a scheme to defraud the state in a contract. Another defendant pleaded guilty. Two employees who worked for me did take bribes and did defraud the State. In a trial that went on for months, during which I testified for three days in a row at one point, I had to prove that I not only was not part of the scheme but that I took proactive measures to control the damage done to the State as soon as I became aware of the scheme. The Jury deliberated only 3 hours -and that included a dinner break - before pronouncing me not guilty on Friday evening in January 1998.

I am not convinced that the former Governor knew that he had employees who were taking bribes and then issuing drivers license to people. If I were convinced, I would agree with you that he should be tied to the death of the Willis children. I was not aware that I had two employees under my area of authority (there were about 3,000 employees that fit that definition) who were taking bribes and when I became aware I handled the situation appropriately and aggressively. It is not hard for me to believe that the Secretary of State did not personally know some clerks were taking bribes ...