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* 4:16 PM - Thanks to commenters for pointing this out. Busy writing a Sun-Times column for Monday, making calls, answering texts and e-mails, etc…
Former GOP Gov. George Ryan — who is seeking to be released from prison by President Bush — will issue a public apology for his criminal behavior while in office during a press conference set for 5 p.m.
James Thompson, Ryan’s lawyer and another former Republican governor, is expected to read the apology and answer reporters’ questions.
*** 4:20 PM *** CBS 2 will cover it live. Watch the coverage at 5 o’clock by clicking here.
* Recent background…
Former Governor Jim Thompson said he hopes President Bush will ignore the Gov. Rod Blagojevich scandal and set former Gov. George Ryan free.
“I don’t think presidential commutations are based on politics,” said Thompson, while talking to ABC7 Chicago Wednesday. “So I hope the president focuses on the Ryan case and confines himself to that.”
Thompson’s law firm represented Gov. Blagojevich until they parted ways six weeks ago. Thompson said he knew nothing about the impending arrest. Nor does he feel it will in anyway impact Ryan’s chances of commutation.
“I have faith in the president to do the right thing, to look at Ryan’s case, his age and health and apart from things that got him in trouble he did a lot of good for the state,” said Thompson.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:18 pm
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Sorry George. Timing is everything.
Comment by Downstate weed chewing hick Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:21 pm
He’s probably going to apologize for accepting Blago’s endorsement of a pardon/commutation.
Wouldn’t that be rich.
Comment by How Ironic Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:22 pm
It’s hard to imagine a more sincere gesture than having your lawyer issue an apologetic press release at 5:00 p.m. on a Friday in the middle of the greatest political crisis the State has seen since the Civil War.
Comment by Canseco Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:23 pm
Former Gov. Ryan has released the following statement. The MP3 will be available for download later today.
==I’m sorry, so sorry that I was such a fool.
I didn’t know government could be so cruel.
Oh-oh-oh-oh, uh-oh, oh-yes.
You tell me,”Mistakes are part of being young.”
But that don’t right the wrong that’s been done.
[Spoken:]
(I’m sorry.) I’m sorry.
(So sorry.) So sorry. Please accept my apology.
But politics is blind and I was too blind to see.”
[Sung:]
Oh-oh-oh-oh, uh-oh, oh-yes.
You tell me,”Mistakes are part of being young.”
But that don’t right the wrong that’s been done.==
A follow-up apology was made to Brenda Lee.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:24 pm
Somehow I don’t think the whole exercise of burying news on a Fri. matters for George anymore. When you get no positive P.R., does it really matter when you release any news? Are people gonna dislike you any more than they already do?
Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:24 pm
Too little, too late, George
Comment by Interested Observer Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:26 pm
When you are convicted, you should serve your term. He probably doesn’t even think he did anything wrong, he should zero remource
Comment by anon Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:26 pm
Sounds like a Banana Republic. Maybe Ryan is thinking that if he throws his name into the ring right now, all of us will think about how he wasn’t so bad compared to what we have now and therefore have pity on him….
Comment by HoBoSkillet Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:27 pm
== “I don’t think presidential commutations are based on politics,” ==
Huh? I hope that was supposed to be a joke.
Comment by Speaking At Will Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:28 pm
Perhaps George is trying to capitalize on the fact that even his approval ratings are higher than Blago’s right now.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:28 pm
I am anxiously awaiting the mention of the name “Willis” in the apology, out of curiosity. Otherwise, not really interested.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:29 pm
Typical Big Jim move….Ryan apolgizes 2nd hand and he expects us to weep along with them and usher the bum Ryan back to Kankakee. I don’t know which of the two are in more disrepute at this moment. Thompson typifies why good people are leaving the Republican party in droves. We need a viable, credible 3rd Party.
Comment by You Go Boy Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:29 pm
Excuse me, but the last thing I believe Illinoians want to see is one of our gubernatorial felons play legal games.
And Thompson has lost a lot of credibility with his legal work with Ryan and Blagojevich, in my opinion. Who’s side is he on? Sure - he and Edgar can be proud that they didn’t end up in jail, but Thompson seems more concerned about Ryan and Blagojevich than about Illinoians.
These people are utterly tone-deaf. A release for Ryan would be just rubbing our noses in it!
What’s next? A law that says that we cannot have two convicted ex-governors in jail consecutively?
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:30 pm
What Ryan really ought to apologize for is making Blago’s election possible.
Comment by Secret Square Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:32 pm
Big Jim acts like someone with something to hide.
Comment by Southern Illinois iPhone Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:32 pm
““I have faith in the president to do the right thing, to look at Ryan’s case, his age and health and apart from things that got him in trouble he did a lot of good for the state,” said Thompson.”
Bushie doing the right thing? At this point? The right thing is to keep Ryan in for his full term; but, thanks for the advice Jim ‘Rutan’ Thompson.
Comment by sal-says Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:34 pm
WE know it ain’t so Geo
Comment by curious george Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:35 pm
“It’s hard to imagine a more sincere gesture than having your lawyer issue an apologetic press release at 5:00 p.m. on a Friday in the middle of the greatest political crisis the State has seen since the Civil War.”
What political crisis?
The trains are running on time.
Anyway, the Haymarket Riots of 1886 make this a tempest in a teapot.
Comment by True Observer Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:40 pm
To recap. . .the current governor has been arrested, our previous governor is already in jail, and another former governor is his pro bono mouthpiece for leniency. Our apparent next governor is a populist gadfly and a dozen or so other politicians in the state would give up an appendage to gain access to this “hallowed” office. Only in Illinois.
Comment by Jake from Elwood Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:41 pm
By the way.
What GREAT timing to draw MORE attention to the corruption in IL. What ARE THEY THINKING?
Comment by sal-says Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:45 pm
Does George Ryan really think now is the time to send out a former co-chair of the Blagojevich transition team to read a weepy apology letter to the state of Illinois?
Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:45 pm
Good grief……..good grief!!! Wow, can this get any weirder?……unfortunately….yes!
Comment by Justice Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:50 pm
It’s unbelievable. Even our former governors are doing everything they can to make IL look like utter clowns before the nation. Can’t these egotistical people just pipe down… for a minute?
It reminds me too of Edgar’s whining commentary piece in the Tribune this week, essentially that the citizens of Illinois need to step up and be a part of politics to turn it around. Are you kidding me? Being able to say “I’m not a politician” is the only shred of credibility left these days.
Comment by Keep Smiling Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 4:53 pm
And I didn’t think this week could get any weirder…
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:03 pm
Keep Smiling - great comment. Edgar’s continued pontification about what IL should do and his comments regretting that he should have run are so tired.
Comment by anon Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:05 pm
A gross and bizarre miscalculation by JT. I realize the Bush days are numbered and thus so are Ryan’s chances, but the timing of this announcement couldn’t be much worse. I suppose he’s only speaking to an audience of one, but a crooked pol’s mouthpiece reading a generic statement hardly qualifies as an act of contrition, especially during this maelstrom.
Comment by The Doc Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:09 pm
At least he specifically mentioned the Willis family. Now serve your sentence Ryan.
Comment by Hawkeye Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:13 pm
It is suprising that he mentioned the Willis family.
Comment by Speaking At Will Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:17 pm
Anyone else having trouble with the audio feed on the CBS stream?
Comment by Speaking At Will Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:19 pm
Who cares what Big Jim and Ryan have to say. Serve your term and get over yourselves.
Comment by ex state employee Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:28 pm
A Presidential commutation of George Ryan’s sentence at this juncture would be political suicide for Illinois Republicans at this juncture. Bush can’t be that stupid.
Comment by Anon Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:29 pm
Big Jim has lost his touch, along with several million dollars of his partners money. Just go away, Jim, please!
Comment by DuPage Dave Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:47 pm
I was going to take my tinfoil hat off and suggest that Durbin’s Ryan commutation endorsement was a set-up to remind independent voters that a GOP Governor had also recently gone to jail. But, having Ryan do this in the middle of the Blago scandal is nothing more than Republicans shooting themselves in the foot.
Comment by Madison County Watcher Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:53 pm
Come on folks it Christmas where is the spirit of giving. It does no good to keep George in jail it will not change anything. Besides we now have much bigger fish in the pond to go after let make a real example of this one after all he makes George look like a Saint.
God bless Laura Lynn Ryan and Merry Christmas.
Comment by springfieldwatcher Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 5:57 pm
True Observer,
If you honestly don’t perceive the current situation as a political crisis, then I don’t know what to tell you.
Comment by Canseco Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 7:22 pm
His statement is an artfully vague, especially when it comes to describing his actions.
I especially liked how he tries to make tardiness a virtue, as though he has been searching his heart in prison all this time, and then, Eureka!, it finally hit him, what he needed to say to the people of Illinois and the Willis family.
How sad for that family, that he only acknowledges their loss when a chance to save his own hide presents itself. His words and timing are shameful.
Comment by Zora Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 7:46 pm
Now, he apologizes?
Comment by Angry Chicagoan Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 8:01 pm
Did he read the statement or just skim it?
Comment by Anon Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 8:07 pm
Could it get any weirder?
Comment by Ahem Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 8:47 pm
Ahem, you said it. I think it probably will, oddly enough.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Dec 12, 08 @ 11:17 pm
MUCH too little, MUCH too late. I’m sorry for his wife, but there are millions of those out there these days. Keep on truckin’!
Comment by Vote Quimby! Saturday, Dec 13, 08 @ 8:46 am
Does anyone know if there is a transcript of this “apology” floating around on the internet?
Comment by Lynn S Saturday, Dec 13, 08 @ 11:41 am
The most gaulling part of this to me, is that this JACK**S Thompson made his career on the back of Otto Kerner. It was Thompson’s prosecution that sent Kerner to jail for a hell**a lot less than EITHER of two gov’s that Thompson has represented. “Wisconsin” Jim has stayed to long at this fair. Times have changed and quite frankly people are tired of seeing his face standing next one corrupt politico after another. Wonder if the feds may just have a bit on Thompson and his role if any in Pay to Play with Blago????
Comment by Sweet Polly Purebred Saturday, Dec 13, 08 @ 1:55 pm