Convicted Felon, former-Governor George Ryan, Demands Government Pension

Former Illinois Governor and convicted racketeer George Ryan is demanding $197,000 in government pension paid by Illinois taxpayers as he heads off to jail for mulitple felony convictions.

After “ripping off Illinois taxpayers” and using his leadership position to help family and friends throughout the course of his career, Ryan was convicted of federal racketeering and fraud charges in April 2006. His lawyer is now claiming that Ryan deserves his more than $50,000 per year in pension payments. According to legal principle and basic ethical principles, however, Ryan doesn’t deserve a cent. According to Attorney General Lisa Maddigan‘s opinion, “You do the crime, you lose the dime.”

Ryan’s investigation began in 1994 after six children died in a horrific car crash. According to the Chicago Sun Times “a rear end assembly fell off a truck driven by a man who couldn’t speak English and didn’t understand other drivers who warned him that the piece was about to fall. The piece struck the Willises’ van, causing it to explode.” And the truck driver? He had paid for his license with a bribe through the Illinois Secretary of State’s office – which was headed by Ryan.

The investigation and trial ended in a 22 federal charges including racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud, tax fraud and lying to FBI agents, and a two year trial, ultimately landing Ryan a 6 and a half year stint in jail to begin in January 2007.