Durbin Asks Bush to Commute Ryan's Sentence

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Posted: 3:39 PM Dec 1, 2008 Durbin Asks Bush to Commute Ryan's Sentence Durbin on Monday released a letter he sent asking President George W. Bush to "consider commuting the sentence of George Ryan to time served."

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CHICAGO (AP) -- U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin has asked the president to commute former Gov. George Ryan's corruption sentence.

Durbin on Monday released a letter he sent asking President George W. Bush to "consider commuting the sentence of George Ryan to time served."

Ryan has served one year of a 6 1/2-year sentence for racketeering, fraud and other offenses.

Durbin has said the former governor has paid a price for his crimes by losing his government pension, having his family name ruined and being separated from his frail wife.

The Chicago Sun-Times on Monday published an open letter to Durbin from Ryan juror Kevin Rein. Rein contends commuting Ryan's sentence "will take away a little more of the faith that the average American has in this country."

Latest Comments

Posted by: Terry Kempel Location: Pearl City, Il 61062 on Dec 1, 2008 at 09:10 PM

I do not feel Ryan should be pardoned. He should face his bad choices in prison. Are you going to pardon all prisoners that have a family member dying? Thank you.

Posted by: Carol Location: Belvidere IL. on Dec 1, 2008 at 08:51 PM

Ex-Gov. George Ryan should not have his sentence commuted! He is a murderer! Because of him, a Chicago pastor and his wife lost all six of their precious children. All because George Ryan allowed licences for truckers who paid for them, or who let the licience facilities give out liciences for bribes which went directly into George Ryans campainge fund! He is just as guilty of murdering those children, and no telling how many other precious lives were lost, as if he had himself ran over each one of them or shot and killed each one of them. Nothing can ever bring those children back. The heartache these parents are feeling will never go away. George Ryan should at least spend the rest of his life in prison. And I mean REAL prison, the kind the ordinary criminal goes to, not some fancy place where he gets the red carpet treatment. I know he was convicted of racketeering charges but he should have been charged with capital murder. Because he was a Gov. he should not gst special treatment

Posted by: Richard Location: Rockford on Dec 1, 2008 at 06:17 PM

NO!!!NO!!!!--He is a crook!! Politicians should not get involved in commuting sentences of their own kind!!

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