Ryan lawyer says former governor was put through 'seven years of hell'

[DoYouEverWonder]

Mar. 07, 2006

CHICAGO - George Ryan's chief defense lawyer fired back at prosecutors Tuesday, saying they put the former governor through "seven years of hell" and found he made mistakes in judgment but no evidence that he took payoffs in exchange for state jobs, contracts or leases.

"You want to know something? There isn't a single witness in this case that testified - not a single one - that said he gave any corrupt benefits to George Ryan - ever," Dan K. Webb said as he began an emotionally charged closing argument at Ryan's racketeering and fraud trial.

One day after prosecutors unleashed a blistering attack on Ryan as a greedy politician who "sold his office" and lied about it for years, Webb launched a counterattack, claiming prosecutors know that "their case is in trouble" for lack of evidence and used unfair tactics.

Prosecutors immediately objected, saying their case was not in trouble.

Webb compared the favors Ryan doled out as secretary of state and governor to the rewards such as diplomatic posts that President Bush has bestowed on supporters. He said that practice was fine as long as campaign money was not raised in return for the promise of future favors.

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/14041496.htm


If Ryan gets convicted then his seven years of hell will have just begun.

[davsand]

1. Favors" ... were just gestures of friendship..."???

The full quote from the story is:

"But favors that flowed between Ryan and others were just gestures of friendship and not a criminal scheme, Webb said..."

Those "favors" for "friends" seem kinda like Don Corelone in the Godfather, if you want to be real blunt about it.

I realize this is the Defense attorney speaking, but that one is over the top even by corrupt Illinois standards.



Laura