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George Ryan gets some company

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Illinois

* Man, I never thought I’d see this day…

Former Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak reported to federal prison in Terre Haute this morning, Bureau of Prisons officials confirmed.

Vrdolyak was sentenced in October to 10 months in prison for a mail fraud conviction tied to a $1.5 million kickback he pocketed in a crooked Gold Coast real-estate deal. […]

Under federal sentencing guidelines, Vrdolyak will have to serve the entire 10 months, officials said.

He surrendered to a minimum-security prison camp in Terre Haute, where former Illinois Gov. George Ryan is serving a 6 ½-year prison sentence for corruption.

Thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 12:59 pm

Comments

“Outside, you maybe ‘Fast Eddie’ … in here you are ‘Inmate #674903′ Welcome to Terre Haute.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:05 pm
look for Illinois to add newly formed VR Consulting as a contractor in about 10 and a half months

Comment by prairiestatedem Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:07 pm
Hey Eddie is not saint, but he didn’t deserve 10 months for that crime. Maybe for others but he was never convicted of any other crimes. Accused? maybe? Convicted -nope. He helped a lot of families, mine included, over the years

Comment by 10th ward Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:09 pm
Wow! Terre Haute is not a very nice facility to end up in. I doubt that he will be around George Ryan, though. But then, who knows?

Comment by PPHS Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:10 pm
PPHS, it’s a relatively small minimum security prison. They’ll find each other.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:14 pm
Another sad chapter that is Illinois politics. Unfortunately, this has become the “norm” rather than the “exception”

Comment by Stones Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:15 pm
ERV - Perhaps if you told the Warden I ran the second largest political organization in Illinois.

Guard - Second largest? That wouldn’t impress the Warden. The leader of the largest political organization in Illinois is now the head farmer of the prison’s vegetable garden.

ERV - I have something to look forward to.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:16 pm
Fast Eddie is not who I had in mind when I came up with my screen name.

Comment by Leave a light on George Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:17 pm
I hope they share a cell. Oh to be a fly on that wall! Of course, the FBI will probably have its own bug in there somewhere too, but the stories these guys can tell, the memories and nostalgia, what an incredible book they could write!

40 years of Illinois political history, in all of its unvarnished glory, from two who know where many of the bodies are buried.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:18 pm
G-Rod next! But they’ll still need a fourth for pinochle. Who else would play with them? Eddie would cheat, G-Rod wouldn’t understand the rules, and George would expect someone else to pay when he loses.

Comment by Pat Robertson Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:21 pm
Strange bedfellows?

Comment by Behind The Scenes Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:24 pm
Indiana wants Illinois businesses? As we know, politics is a business in Illinois and Indiana has a good start by getting our politicians.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:24 pm
Cool Hand Eddie?

“Them clothes got laundry numbers on them. You remember your number and always wear the ones that has your number. Any man forgets his number spends a night in the box.

These here spoons you keep with you. Any man loses his spoon spends a night in the box.

There’s no playing grab-ass or fighting in the building. You got a grudge against another man, you fight him Saturday afternoon. Any man playing grab-ass or fighting in the building spends a night in the box.

First bell’s at five minutes of eight when you will get in your bunk. Last bell is at eight. Any man not in his bunk at eight spends the night in the box.

There is no smoking in the prone position in bed. To smoke you must have both legs over the side of your bunk. Any man caught smoking in the prone position in bed… spends a night in the box.

You get two sheets. Every Saturday, you put the clean sheet on the top… the top sheet on the bottom… and the bottom sheet you turn in to the laundry boy. Any man turns in the wrong sheet spends a night in the box.

No one’ll sit in the bunks with dirty pants on. Any man with dirty pants on sitting on the bunks spends a night in the box.

Any man don’t bring back his empty pop bottle spends a night in the box.

Any man loud talking spends a night in the box.

You got questions, you come to me. I’m Carr, the floor walker. I’m responsible for order in here.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:25 pm
Dinner is big in prison. I hear Fast Eddie has a system of slicing the garlic so thin with a razor blade that it melts in the pan with just a little bit of oil. That’s a good system for garlic.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:27 pm
47th, I’m with you. They should spend their time writing tell-all books. Heck, stipulate that they’re published after they’ve passed.

Oswego Willy, soon you might be able to add: “And his successor, now runs our laundry.”

Only movie that ranks with GFI and GFII. Perfect in every way.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:28 pm
The judge who handled this case listened to a lot of evidence at a sentencing hearing after Vrdolyak pleaded guilty, which seemed a smart thing to do given the fact that jurors at the Federal Building seem to convict just about every political figure. The judge gave him probation. The appellate court went out of its way to ignore what the trial judge had said in deciding to not give prison time. Then the appellate court sent it back to ANOTHER JUDGE for resentencing. Reminds me of the scene in Untouchables where Ness convinces the judge that they have some dirt on him so he sends his jury out and gets another jury in to decide Capone’s fate. It just seems wrong for the resentencing to be done by another judge just because the appellate court thinks he should have gotten jail time. Vrdolyak wasn’t a perfect person, but the trial judge seemed to think that he wasn’t a dangerous political criminal, either.

Comment by chiatty Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:37 pm
word …

Strange how movies sometime mirror life … or is it life that mirrors the movies …

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:38 pm
word …

One of the best bar discussion to have, ever … GFI or GFII, which is better …

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:39 pm
I’m pretty sad about this. I liked Eddie a lot and considered him sort of a role model. Oh well.

Comment by Bill Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 1:56 pm
Knew a guy who spent 12 months in the Terre Haute minimum security system. Biggest problem - Boredom.

I like the suggestion of Eddie and Ryan writing a book.

Comment by Downstate Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 2:04 pm
I suppose that Blago won’t get there in time to reminisce with them about deep dish pizza.

Comment by Aldyth Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 2:05 pm
“Medium rare. An aristocrat.”

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 2:10 pm
@chiatty -

Judge Shadur’s original sentence was an insult to the legal system.

Since when do we consider Friends and Family letters sent to the judge when deciding sentencing?

Here’s what the Appellate Judge, Posner, said:

“I’m concerned also about a situation where the judge finds no loss — on rather questionable reasoning — and says, ‘Well, if I’m wrong and there’s a loss, it doesn’t make any difference,’ ” Posner said. “Does that reflect a thoughtful sentencing process or just a determination to give a certain sentence regardless?”

The government argued that the lower court erred in not finding a loss of at least $1.5 million — the amount Vrdolyak received for his help in steering a Chicago medical school to sell property to a buyer anointed by a co-conspirator. The co-conspirator sat on the school’s board of trustees.

“Our hope would be that you would instruct [the district court] as to what the real damage was,” said Chris Niewoehner, an Assistant U.S. Attorney and former Shadur clerk who argued for the government.

On the letters, Posner said it was “ridiculous” to give them so much weight. “I don’t get the letters,” Posner said. “Anyone who is prominent can gin up a lot of letters.”

I agree. Imagine for a moment that the outcome of the trial of any public official rests on the weight of letters written on their behalf.

No one would ever be convicted again.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 2:12 pm
Hubby has been to visit George. 40 men to a pod, 8 men to a room. The warden does not let acquaintances hob nob.

Now, do the 2 men know each other very well? No. But, still the warden moves people around if they become too chummy.

I just wrote George, yesterday.

Comment by PPHS Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 2:21 pm
Rich, PPHS and others that care. There are actually three prisons at Terre Haure that make up the Federal Correctional Complex there. High, medim and minimum security facilities, all housing male offenders. Here’s the link http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/tha/index.jsp

Comment by TimB Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 2:27 pm
Eddie is where he should have been a long time ago.
It’s astounding that capable, intelligent guys like him engage in such tawdry behavior. But he fit right in with the culture of Illinois/Chicago politics.

Comment by Jim Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 2:33 pm
It doesn’t take much to get kicked over to medium, either. If you aren’t standing in line, the way a guard thinks you should, you are gone (for a few days.)

I don’t think that spending $40,000 a year, plus what little medical care they get is a good way to spend our $$. Ed V. probably has a boat load of medical problems. Assign him to house arrest and strict probation.

But, in prison where violent men are serving out the end of their sentences? No. Some psycho could kill him, just to make a name for themselves.

Comment by PPHS Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 2:36 pm
When i was young, growing up in Evanston, I disliked Mr. Vrdolyak for political reasons, but also for his license plate. He got a vanity plate — “EV 10.” We were convinced “EV” plates were rightfully for Evanstonians (Evanstoners?). Now he’s (metaphorically) making license plates, so it all works out, I guess.

Comment by Muskrat Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 2:46 pm
PPHS, I’m sure that statistics would bear out that one is likely safer in the pen than on the streets of the 10th Ward.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 2:49 pm
do the crime, get the punishment.

Comment by amalia Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 3:14 pm
who’s going to take care of his buffalo?

Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 3:17 pm
Oh well, “Fast Eddy” finally met his match–the Feds…somehow ya just knew him ending up somewhere like Terre Haute (i.e. or ANY Federal prison) was inevitable…he didn’t earn that nickname for no reason after all but it sure did seem interesting (bringing out my suspicious side) how he DID seem to manage to earn SO much mula SO “fast” (pun intended) after he departed from his political life…oh well, some things never change–hopefully some of his (and George Ryan’s) haughty arrogant side will be tempered a bit during his (their) departure (or would “respite” be more fitting term)???

Comment by Just The Way It Is One Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 3:52 pm
@Yellow Dog:

We’ll just agree to disagree, I suppose, because I found Posner’s tirade to be disrespectful of the trial judge’s role. In essence, he said that the trial judge should have had his mind made up prior to the sentencing hearing. At trial, the judge went into the hearing thinking one thing about Vrdolyak and came out thinking another. In other words he was persuaded by the evidence, rather than thinking that jail time would be warranted as some kind of a lifetime achievement award, given the “fact” that Vrdolyak was rumored to be corrupt, if only because of his nickname. Finally, the real problem I had with Posner’s opinion, beyond its irascible tone, was the fact that he pulled the rug under the trial judge and sent it to another judge for re-sentencing.

Comment by chiatty Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 3:52 pm
===after he departed from his political life===

LOL. And during.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 3:56 pm
–Oh well, “Fast Eddy” finally met his match–the Feds..–

That has to be an interesting story in and of itself.

The legend for years was that he, and some other top, obvious names, avoided intense federal scrutiny by being clandestinely chatty on subjects that didn’t involve themselves.

The change of management at the Dirksen Building with Fitz seemed to change all that.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 4:13 pm
@chiatty -

Again, Friends and Family letters are evidence?

I read Shadur’s ruling too. He based his ruling that there’d been no damages on his own “expertise” in real estate, not any facts entered into evidence.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 5:20 pm
Fast Eddie, quoted as he was introduced to General Population:

“You don’t seem to understand the situation: I’m not locked in here with YOU…

…YOU’RE LOCKED IN HERE WITH ME!!!!!!!”

(Rorschach, in “Watchmen”, you can youtube the quote, if you have a strong stomach)

Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 5:54 pm
George Ryan to other inmates:

“I will bet my boy Eddie here can eat FIFTY eggs at one time.”

Comment by Newsclown Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 5:56 pm
1) About #$&@(#* time.

2) I look forward to the deals Eddie will cut on cigarettes.

3) There’s room for at least one more guy who’s spent time behind a WLS mike.

4) About #$&@(#* time.

Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 6:42 pm
Where will Blag & Cellini go?

Comment by Justa Joe Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 8:49 pm
–GFI or GFII, which is better …–

In a close call I go with GFI for two reasons:

–Brando as Don Corleone. Hard to imagine anyone else, although Coppola also considered Laurence Olivier, which would have been interesting.

–There are a couple of holes in the GFII script regarding the Lake Tahoe assassination attempt that have always bothered me.

First, who opened the drapes? Second, who killed the shooters found later on the property?

Since Fredo was revealed to be the traitor, you conclude it must have been him. But neither actions ring true for the character. Fredo was “weak and stupid.” Those were the actions of a cunning killer, not someone who had been tricked into participating into an attempt on his brother’s life.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 9:41 pm
Fredo was the inside man, but there were more on the team.

Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Jan 19, 11 @ 11:08 pm
Ed will be fine. 10 months of getting in shape and obtaining clarity for the next deal. The guards around him will have it good. Ed loves to slap a twenty on service people. He tips and then he tips again.

Comment by nino Thursday, Jan 20, 11 @ 7:29 am
Who plays Paulie Cicero and proclaims “OK everybody lets eat?

Comment by regular democrat Thursday, Jan 20, 11 @ 8:47 am
===First, who opened the drapes? Second, who killed the shooters found later on the property?===

Fredo opened the drapes … the hole IS who killed the “guys from New York” … My guess is that one of the crew was there for “clean-up” if it went down bad, kill the assasins, and escape … “You broke my heart.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 20, 11 @ 8:57 am
I, too, usually go with GFI word, but GFII’s merits include the Nevada senator, the struggle of Michael and Tom (Pacino and Duvall, how is that NOT good) Hyman Roth and Havana, and who can forget “Yeah, they had a lotta ‘buffers’ ” …GFI gets the nod, but the Oscar for GFII is worthy as a stand alone movie.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 20, 11 @ 9:04 am
–Who plays Paulie Cicero and proclaims “OK everybody lets eat?–

Paul Sorvino, father of the lovely Mira.

Character based on real-life Luchesse family capo Paul Vario.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 20, 11 @ 9:13 am
il politics have and always will be as they are politics all over are this way look back in history i have known george all my life and as far as i know he was a fair and good man that did allot for the state of il and the county of kankakee you all had good paying jobs and good roads and highways he has served more time for a non violent crime then most violent offenders serve and i just dont think he is a threat to anyone or do i think he will ever hold a public office he is a 77 year old broken man one gets 10 months and made off with 1.5 mill he will come out in 10 months wealthy george will spend 3 more years and has lost everything if he makes it that long if you dont think he looks back at how the history of his political career was and have remorse then you never knew gorge ryan him and his family have done so much for so many that no one even knows about because they did it because they cared about people and it was never for the public image it was from the hart blago ran around and made a fool of the state and was as low as to put his wife on a realty show but were is he still walking around the fool he is he was trying to sell a us senate seat but you dont see the whole country jumping up and down about it just the people of il i guess they just dont have anything else to do go to church find god do something good with your free time other than he did she did they did bs

Comment by jeffery.2 Monday, Jan 24, 11 @ 11:26 am