CHICAGO — Accused in federal court of corruption that steered contracts worth millions to friends in addition to financial benefits to himself, former Illinois governor George Ryan must pay back his debts—in jail.
Ryan was found guilty on April 17 on all federal charges including fraud, conspiracy and the misuse of state funds to further his own political gain.
Investigations into Ryan's misdealings began even before his 1998 election as governor. In fact his most noteworthy indiscretion came during his run as Illinois Secretary of State from 1991 to 1999, where he was found to be involved in a scheme in which unqualified truck drivers obtained licenses through bribes.
The federal investigation of the operation, known as Operation Safe Road, found dozens of officials involved in the nefarious strategy. Ryan has claimed that there was a culture of corruption in the Secretary of State's office, but didn't know how deep it ran.
A History of Corruption
The history of Illinois politics is rife with corruption. In fact, Ryan is the third former governor in Illinois' history to be convicted for such crimes. Even in the midst of the recent Jack Abramoff scandal that implicates scores of national politicians, Illinois still manages to stand out.
Last year in Chicago, the federal government indicted more than 30 city workers and contractors on charges of taking bribes from trucking companies and fixed City Hall hiring. Illinois elections see up and coming legislative hopefuls take every effort to distance themselves from the corruption for which the state is known. In the recent Republican gubernatorial primary, the candidates all ran on a similar platform of reform and ethics. These campaigns aimed to separate from fellow Republican Ryan as well as the political corruption of Illinois in general, a specter which still continues to haunt the state.
In 2003, Peggy Boyer Long, an editor for "Illinois Issues Online"—a monthly magazine published by the University of Illinois at Springfield that strives to provide analysis of Illinois public policy—wrote an article exploring the long- running, nationwide reputation for political corruption in Illinois. She remarked that, "Illinois' roster of political scoundrels dates from statehood, and they are larger-than-life figures."
Long points to a strange pride that Illinoisans take in their often corrupt political culture. In short, they enjoy colorful legislative characters so long as things don't go too far.
For many in Illinois, what was revealed in Operation Safe Road showed that things had gone too far: public safety was put in jeopardy. The public outcry and federal investigation spurred legislators toward a mission for reform, but only to a point.
Cynthia Canary, who heads the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform (ICPR) says that the concerns over corruption go beyond Ryan and his conviction. "There [is] little evidence today that Illinois leaders are serious about changing business as usual."
In an environment where corrupt practices are not merely commonplace, but business as usual, what does Ryan's verdict really mean to the future of Illinois' scandalous history?
"At this point the crystal ball is still a little cloudy, says Canary. "Personally, I believe that the situation is somewhat different right now because of the sheer density of the corruption. George Ryan is the highest on the totem pole of those that have been convicted in Operation Safe Road."
In terms of real ethics reform, Canary refers to several "very solid bills in the House right now, ready to go," that are awaiting legislative approval. But they may take several months to come to fruition.
"The issue of corruption in pay-to-play and money in politics will pick up steam as we go into the election in November. I'm cautiously optimistic that things will happen. I think people are extraordinarily frustrated with the state," said Canary, mentioning that politicians have promised to end corruption for years with no real change.
Pushing for Change
Current Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been pushing the issue of ethics reform during his term, most notably in his 2003 legislation, some say largely inspired by the Ryan investigation.
Despite seemingly good intentions, critics of Blagojevich repeatedly point to the governor's campaign fund surplus and the pay-to-play' benefits that such generous contributors have received as the true indicator of the governor's stand on ethics reform.
Not long before the court proceedings for Ryan were to begin, a federal probe investing the possible corruption of Gov. Blagojevich's was underway.
Bright Points of Ryan Legacy
While Ryan's legacy has been marred by scandal, the former governor is also known for an unprecedented death-penalty moratorium.
In an effort to reform the state's capitol punishment system, the governor suspended all executions in 2000 and subsequently brought the death penalty out for national debate.
The moratorium, which was significantly downplayed during his court proceedings, was a decisive political move that garnered applause for Ryan in as much as it made critics, seen mostly in state legislature.
Some pundits, including political scientist and long-time Ryan fan, Paul Green, suggest that the former governor, like many Illinois politicians, had essentially been forced to engage in corrupt practices. In a corrupt environment, they argue, there is no other way to get things done.
"That's ludicrous!" exclaims Canary. "You do not need a corrupt system to deliver services any more than Enron needed to be corrupt. This is really about the role of the state to essentially navigate common good. . . . There is nothing inherent in government that says it must be corrupt to be delivered."
Ryan's sentencing has been scheduled for August 2006, when the former governor could be looking at a 20-year prison sentence.
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