Sen. Dick Durbin has indicated that he thinks former Gov. George Ryan has been punished enough, and will ask President Bush to commute Ryan’s sentence:
“Let’s look at the price he’s paid,” Durbin told reporters. “His family name has been damaged… . He has lost the economic security, which most people count on at his age. And he is separate from his wife at a time when she is in frail health. To say that he has paid a price for his wrongdoing – he certainly has. The question is whether continued imprisonment is appropriate at this point.”
Yes, Sen. Durbin, it is appropriate. Because he gave out licenses to unqualified drivers for bribes, people died. A judge and jury convicted him and sentenced him according to the law. It doesn’t matter that he used to be governor; he’s subject to the same laws and penalties as any other citizen. Commuting his sentence will only reinforce for everyone that there are two sets of laws — one for ordinary people and one for the politically connected.
Incidentally, the same article is on the Peoria Journal Star’s and the State Journal-Register’s respective websites, but the headlines are different. The State Journal-Register says, “Durbin may ask Bush to commute George Ryan prison sentence,” but the Journal Star says, “Sen. Durbin considers asking for Ryan pardon.” The Springfield paper got it right; the Journal Star headline writers apparently don’t know the difference between pardoning and commuting a sentence.
So, as a public service, allow me to explain: When you commute a sentence, you change the penalty, but the conviction stands. You still have a felony conviction on your record. When you pardon someone, you forgive the crime as well as the punishment; your felony conviction is expunged from your record. Big difference.
I think maybe someone needs to advise Durbin otherwise on this matter. Stupid.
I am appalled at the idea. Those kids that died because of the license-for-bribes program won’t be coming home, and Ryan has never even expressed any remorse for his crimes. Let the arrogant so-and-so rot. If Durbin wants to commute a sentence, how about those border agents, Ramos and Compean, who were doing their jobs? They shot a drug dealer in the butt, and we, the taxpayers, probably paid for his medical care. I Urge everyone to call Durbin’s office and let your feelings be known.
I don’t know. When you look at all the good Ryan did as governor, most notably his courageous suspending of the death penalty, I think it’s worth considering, given his age and his wife’s health. I doubt if Durbin’s input will make that much difference since Ryan’s family is appealing directly to the President. If I were Bush, I would also seek direct input from the prosecutor, Fitzgerald.
He spared criminals deserving death with his overreaching moratorium, but took actions that led to the deaths of innocent children on the state’s highways. Yeah, he’s a real humanitarian. They should give him a medal.
Well no surprise, but I think the death penalty is barbaric, inhumane, and, duh, irreversible. Whether you are for or against the death penalty, Ryan did the right thing, given the number of mistakes that were being made.
Was I the only one that had to stop the car and stare at the radio when they first heard this???
The entire concept is unbelievable! Why should his sentence be commuted, because he’s a former governor? Is that good enough reason? Then maybe Michael Vicks sentence should be commuted because he’s an athlete. And then Joe down the street because he lives in my neighborhood. I can’t believe Dick Durbin, who otherwise seems to be on the ball, has even comtemplated such political suicide. NO, George Ryans sentence should not be commuted.
deebie47: What’s in the tea leafs? Is there a democrat waiting in the wings to be pardoned in coordination with a pardon for Ryan? Just asking —- strange bedfellow theory.
At first when I read this post, I was appalled. It seemed so illogical to me to even have this discussion. But after thinking about it for a bit, I think it’s one worth having.
I’d first like to point out that all the people saying there was no difference between George Ryan and Glenn Poshard back in 1998 were wrong.;)
I think that Durbin’s proposal needs further exploration, not outright rejection. He’s doing it not because this is a member of his own party, but because (I assume) he wants the president to use his end-days powers for “good.”
I don’t necessarily think Ryan deserves commutation of his sentence after causing so much damage to the State of Illinois…damage the Land of Lincoln is still reeling from and damage that did not really end after his administration was over. I’m not a big fan of pardoning/commutation, but some folks do deserve it. Governor Ryan deserves the same consideration as anyone else.
I would feel better if Senator Durbin put forth other names of worthy, elderly candidate for commutation. It’s only fair.
“Well no surprise, but I think the death penalty is barbaric, inhumane, and, duh, irreversible.”
Yeah, so are rape and murder. But who cares about those…oh what do you call them… victims.
Ryan didn’t do the right thing, he didn’t solve the problem he just stopped the problem from escalating to end the bad PR. On the plus side, at least we know that Tulip is just as forgiving for Republican convicted criminals (Ryan) as she is towards convicted Democrat criminals (Gordon). I am serious when I say you get points in my book for being consistent.
Let Ryan go, but only if Durbin takes his place.
Tulip, I will start by saying I strongly support the death penalty, so I think what Ryan did was wrong, and, in fact, immoral, but for the sake of argument, let’s say it was good. Does every criminal who does some good things deserve to be forgiven their crimes, or just ex-Governors? Is this country going to totally abandon equal justice under the law? It would certainly seem so. If you are an ex-governor, you don’t have to serve your sentence? If you are a big politically-connected company like AIG or Citigroup, you get bailed out; local small businesses have to go bankrupt. And the “little people” pay.
BTW, I don’t think there were as many “mistakes” in death penalty cases as the liberal press would have us believe. It was a concerted effort by death penalty opponents to find a way around the will of the people, which is to execute people who commit heinous crimes.
How many would be “many”?
It isn’t about people who commit heinous crimes, it is about people who are wrongly convicted of committing heinous crimes.
Yes, Kcdad, it is about people who commit heinous crimes. If there are flaws in the system, they should be fixed, but the objective is to convict and punish the guilty, as well as not convict the innnocent. The goal should not be to reduce the number of executions – which is the goal of death penalty opponents. I don’t want to see one innocent person executed, but no system is 100% perfect, and we have to acccept that. Innocent people are killed every day in auto accidents, we don’t shut down the roadways; innocent people are killed every day in medical accidents, we don’t shut down the hospitals; innocent people are killed everyday in a variety of ways; we can’t stop all these deaths, as much as we would like to.
“Does every criminal who does some good things deserve to be forgiven their crimes, or just ex-Governors?”
Well Ryan was a public servant, who ran a much better organization than the current guv. I think his service, combined with the factors of his age and his wife’s health, does merit special consideration. And criminals are often given consideration for “good things,” first at sentencing and then, maybe, at a prisoner review board hearing. If Ryan would apologize to the people of this state and admit to creating a situation that led to the deaths of innocent children, that would be much better. Maybe Durbin could suggest this as a condition? He could also make himself useful and create a task force to turn around Illinois government, which is among the most corrupt in the nation. He certainly knows where the problems lie.
An example of Mr. Ryans’ good deeds as governor, and something for you bleeding hearts to remember him by, he commuted the sentence of Joe Miller, who only killed eight women here in Peoria just a few years ago, shortly after seventeen years in prison for killing a like number, or more, in Chicago. Sixteen notches or so on your belt should warrant more than three meals a day with television, shouldn’t it? Ryan should have considered each case of executive clemency on its own merits, not carte blanche. Let him stay in prison for his misdeeds, there are better cases for early release.
They speak of letting Ryan out because of his good deeds and his age. Well he had many years to commit his crimes that he has never been tried for. He just got caught for some. There is no excuse to let him out early because of age. The children that died because of his crimes will never get the chance to go old.
I certainly understand that Ryan needs to receive his correct punishment as established by the court.
With that in mind, do any of you realize how many illegals there are, right now, in the Peoria area with fake/stolen driver’s licenses? Why is there no outcry over these people? Although some are actually paying for insurance, in the event of a big accident and a small amount of investigating, guess what happens? The “insurance” they paid for is no good. All insurance policies have a clause that states the driver must be legally licensed (as well as the vehicle) in order for the insurance to be valid.
mdd there is an outcry against these illegals. I’ve been shouting about it for more than 50 years. But the bleeding good hearts don’t want to hear it. We are paying through the nose for these people. Free medical, public housing, food stamps, jobs lost to them for lower wages and the list goes on and on. However, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The latest report shows that less and less are coming across our southern border because of our economic stauts. And more and more are going back to their homes south of the border because they can’t get work any more here in the states. But that doesn’t get us off the hook for the millions that are here and stay here.
Ryan was a “public servant”?? What planet are you on???
Ryan sytematically abused his position. If he was a public servant, then I’m the King of England. If a cashier takes money out of the till at Walmart, do they get their sentence commuted? How about those local officials convicted of embezzlement. This sympathy for Ryan makes me want to throw up.
mdd,
” All insurance policies have a clause that states the driver must be legally licensed (as well as the vehicle) in order for the insurance to be valid. ”
Totally inaccurate statement of fact.
scr – If the illegal, without a valid license, and/or legally registered vehicle hits your car, their insurance (if they even had any) is no good. YOUR insurance would then take over and pay for your claim out of the uninsured/underinsured provisions. You would be paying – not the one at fault.
mdd, you are dead wrong. If the policy is active and in force the policy will pay period. Non-renewal or cancellation will then typically occur, but the intial claim will be paid. I have been in personal lines insurance Auto/Homeowners for 28 years. If your Driver’s liscense is suspended or revoked, if your vehicle registration is expired, but you still pay your premium, your coverage at the time of a loss is valid. Your policy WILL pay the claim. Then you will be cancelled. But only after the claim has been paid. I have had many claims over the years paid under these circumstances. For example, mom and dad are out of town. Unlicensed soon or daughter takes car for a joy ride and wrecks it. Claim paid. Policyholder has an accident, learns thier liscense expired two months before accident. Claim paid. Young lady lets her losaer boyfriend with a DUI conviction and NO Valid Drivers liscense driver her car. Boyfriend wrecks car. Claim paid.
In the instances you hypothetically describe the claim would be paid.
Once the facts and police report confirm no valid liscense or registration THEN cancellation/non-renewal action will be taken, but the claim will be paid as long as the premium has been paid. Period. UNLESS misrepresentation was done on the original insurance application and can be proven.
scr – that’s the point! It is misrepresentation to begin with since an illegal cannot hold a valid driver’s license, so how did they obtain insurance? They misrepresented themselves (aka forgery and identity theft). In other words, NO insurance – yours would pay.
mdd,
ok my point is, at the time of application MVR’s are ordered. No valid drivers license no policy is issued. I understand your argument about illegals and I agree. Your point about insurance not paying and leaving someone out to dry typically does not happen. Your argument came across to me as a scare tactic that was not valid in fact. That was my point. You, or anyone, who pays a premium and a policy is issued; claims will be paid. Citizenship does not enter into it. My point is insurance contracts TYPICALLY protect the insured more than the company issuing the insurance contract. Assuming you are dea;ing with a reputable agent and company.