George Ryan’s Post-Blagojevich Hail Mary
You know who else had a bad week?
Former IL governor and convicted felon George Ryan.
Nothing says, ‘Gee, I’m probably not going to get this sentence commuted after all,” like having the entire country in an uproar over your successor’s all-too-familiar public corruption charges.
I mean, everyone in Illinois was complaining loudly about Durbin asking Bush for the commutation as it was.
My highly unscientific tally of the Tribune’s Letter to the Editor page was about 8 to 1 against - with the rare supporting being like, “Yeah, but remember that death penalty moratorium?”
Yes, that was a good thing to do. But an act of germane public policy (which is, you know, the job of the governor in other states) doesn’t - to me - stand up against ten years of corruption without ever admitting guilt or apologizing to the public.
And… cue public apology:
“I want to make things right in my heart with God, with my family and with those that I have hurt,” said the statement, which was read by former Gov. Jim Thompson at a news conference held at Thompson’s Chicago law offices.
Amazing how total panic over not getting the commutation you thought was in the bag will make a one see the error of his ways.
“I think he is a much-changed man,” Thompson said.
I bet he is, sir.
I bet he is.
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