The last time Jim Ryan ran for governor of Illinois, he offered voters a clear choice between a man who never took a dime in public life and Rod Blagojevich.
And though many would like to forget it, they chose Blagojevich.
"The infrastructure of the Illinois Republican Party has never really been for me," Ryan said over breakfast the other day as we talked about that 2002 campaign and his current run in the crowded GOP primary for governor. "I'm not a deal-maker. And senior Republicans knew my reputation. They knew I wouldn't be flexible."
Seven years ago, Ryan, then Illinois attorney general, had the misfortune of having the same last name as George Ryan, the crooked Republican governor who later was indicted and sent to prison in the license-for-bribes scandal. They're not related, but George Ryan's disgrace splashed over the GOP.
To make things worse, senior Republican bosses were secretly backing the Democrat Blagojevich and stabbing Ryan in the back -- a clear illustration of the Illinois Combine at work.
Springfield Republican boss and state asphalt king William Cellini, now awaiting his own Blagojevich-related corruption trial, held a 2002 fundraiser for Blagojevich, according to federal testimony.
Blagojevich's campaign later credited that fundraiser to state Sen. James A. DeLeo (D-How You Doin?), a longtime Cellini and Blago pal. Early in Blagojevich's first term, another Cellini buddy, Robert Kjellander (pronounced $hell-ANDER), received $809,000 in a finder's fee on a state bond deal.
According to federal court documents, Kjellander kicked part of the cash back to associates of influence peddler Tony Rezko. Kjellander, a former treasurer of the Republican National Committee, has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime.
But when it came down to either an inflexible Republican Ryan or a flexible Democrat Blagojevich, boss Republicans wanted the gumby with the hair.
"Kjellander ended up getting that $800,000 bond deal about five minutes after the election was over," Ryan said.
Why are you running this time?
"I'm running because I'm disgusted in what I see," said Ryan, a distinguished fellow at Illinois Benedictine University's Center of Civic Leadership and Public Service. "I teach young people and they're disgusted, and that has to change.
"It's very hard to convince young people today about public service. They see it as politics, as a blood sport; they see the corruption, they think politics is dirty work. There's an entire generation of young people who'll be turned off to public service if we don't change that around. I'm in this for two reasons: to help my state and the people of my state."
Posted by Procopius2k 2009-11-30 08:42||
2009-11-30 08:42||
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#4 I met this guy a few years back. Seemed a decent sort for a politician, plus one didn't feel the need to wash and disinfect one's hand after shaking his. He did have an issue though in that he liked going to strip clubs. Cost him his marriage to Jeri Ryan.
Wrong Ryan: that one was Jack Ryan. And compliments to Spot who got to this one minute before I did ;-) AoS.
In the current group of Illinois pols vying for governor, Mr. Ryan (Jim) would be the 'least' of many evils.
Posted by Mullah Richard 2009-11-30 09:24||
2009-11-30 09:24||
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#5 If you're interested in this article and the Illinois Gov. race in general, Kass has been taking each candidate out to lunch and giving them a chance to say their piece, letting them speak for themselves without a lot of editorializing from him. You may want to look up the other interviews in the archive.
Posted by mom">mom
2009-11-30 10:41||
2009-11-30 10:41||
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#6 Mullah R - that was Jack Ryan who Jeri was married to. He was the leading Republican candidate for the senate seat that Obama won until the Chi. Tribune leaked his divorce records, forcing him out of the race (to be replaced by Alan Keyes) thus ensuring Obama's victory.
And yes, Illinois has too many Ryans running for office. Jim Ryan was State's Attorney for DuPage County. The lead weight around his neck is his (and his successor's) handling of the Nicario murder. Also, he had health problems and has been out of politics for a while now.
Posted by Spot">Spot
2009-11-30 10:48||
2009-11-30 10:48||
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#7 I voted Libertarian that year: I knew Blago was dirty but no way would I vote for Ryan precisely because of the Nicarico affair. He'll never get my vote.
Posted by Steve White 2009-11-30 10:51||
2009-11-30 10:51||
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#8 Jeez, you guys are right. Too many Ryans. Me bad. Did meet 'Jim', though.
Forgot about the Nicarico murder and subsequent circus. Excruciating ordeal, that.
Posted by Mullah Richard 2009-11-30 13:56||
2009-11-30 13:56||
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#9 Chicago politics serves to remind the rest of us how lucky we are in our own home towns.
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