George Reports to Prison

George Ryan that is ;)


http://www.suntimes.com/news/638659,rprison110707.article

Now: Ryan reports to prison

November 7, 2007
BY LEONARD N. FLEMING Staff Reporter/ lfleming@suntimes.com
Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan arrived at a rural federal prison Wednesday to begin serving a 61/2-year sentence for racketeering and fraud.


The 73-year-old Republican entered the federal correctional center about noon, Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Felicia Ponce said. He entered through a back gate, avoiding a throng of media awaiting his arrival at the main entrance.


The pharmacist-turned-governor, who gained international acclaim for his opposition to the death penalty, has said he will fight to clear his name even while sitting in prison.


At dawn today, Ryan left his home for his journey to federal prison in Oxford, Wis., on corruption charges.

Appearing relaxed, hours after declaring his innocence, Ryan, 73, left his Kankakee home at around 5:50 a.m. and sat in the front seat of his Ford van full of family members including son George Ryan Jr. who drove the vehicle.

n/t

My problem with it is that Illinois goverment, and certainly the Sec'y of State office, was corrupt long before Ryan came along and it seems like a lot of guilty people are going to get off scot free on this while Ryan does their time for them.

He was a typical republican, who had one teeny, tiny humanity streak. That streak, as valuable is it is, wasn't enough to defray all the prison sentence, but he got off pretty lightly.

Sure he's old, but that shouldn't help him, either. Some penance was necessary.