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A reason for Durbin’s mercy?

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Illinois
Durbin

* Steve Huntley and I agree on Dick Durbin’s possible motive for asking President Bush to commute George Ryan’s sentence…

A few weeks ago, Durbin’s daughter, Christine Ann, died at age 40 after a lifelong struggle with a congenital heart condition. As we enter one of Christianity’s holiest seasons, Durbin understands how fleeting the joys of life are, how closely death shadows our lives, and how precious family life is.

Durbin, a fiercely partisan liberal, and I, a conservative, don’t agree on a lot of things. I can’t find myself agreeing with him on this one, but I also can’t find fault with him.

Mrs. Ryan is said to be more ill than has been reported, by the way. That certainly played into Durbin’s thinking.

* The list of congresscritters opposing mercy for Ryan grows longer by the hour...

Congresswoman-elect Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete) and U.S. Reps. Judy Biggert (R-13th) and Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-2nd) said they oppose commuting former Gov. George Ryan’s prison sentence. […]

Two other Southland members of Congress - Bobby Rush (D-1st) and Dan Lipinski (D-3rd) - did not return calls for comment.

* Related…

* On the Record: Gov. George Ryan Commutation

* Debate Over Ryan Commutation Heats Up

* Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran opposed to Ryan sentence change

* Joseph Birkett joins list of Illinois leaders who oppose clemency

* Ryan should stay in jail: AG Madigan

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 9:50 am

Comments

I don’t oppose commutation under certain conditions. Still, I’m curious as to why Durbin has ruled out asking Obama if Bush doesn’t act. If the motivation is mercy and compassion, then why should it matter who is the president?

On one of the links, Gov. Thompson said the Ryans are penniless. I’ll raise Mark Brown’s question from the other day: Ryan collected nearly $800,000 on his pension over four years. He has good health insurance. I’m assuming he did not owe much on his modest house. He got pro bono defense. Where did the $800 grand go?

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 10:06 am
I think that if Mrs. Ryan is so sick why can’t we just let Mr and Mrs Ryan be together. Seeing his wife getting sicker everyday is a prison sentence in itself. Just set Ryan free.

Comment by Boscobud Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 10:07 am
Is Birkett going to ask for a pardon for his son?

Comment by Joe in the Know Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 10:30 am
Lake County sherrif Mark Curran???Who’s next? Andy Taylor and Barney Fife? Some of these people will do anything to shill for a vote or get their name in the paper. Why is this such a big deal to these small time politicians? Everybody should just shut up and let Bush decide. This happens all the time when a president leaves the white house. Its routine and many of the pardonees have committed a lot more serious crimes than old man Ryan. Cut him loose.
Press vultures like jkass should find something else to write about but that would almost be work. Its much easier to continue to kick an old man who can’t defend himself.

Comment by Bill Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 10:35 am
Better yet, let Saint Obama decide.

If compassion is the new measure, then apply it to all prisoners at the Federal and State levels. I bet you clear 20% of the prison population.

Comment by Plutocrat03 Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 10:45 am
Just how sick is Mrs. Ryan? If she’s in imminent danger of death, has only a few months to live, or is no longer capable of caring for herself, maybe Durbin should say so in explaining the request for clemency.

Comment by Secret Square Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 10:53 am
I was all in favor of some mercy / clemency until Lura Lynn said he had no regrets. If he can’t bring himself to say, from prison, that he made some mistakes, then screw him. His unrepentant ass can rot in prison until he dies or manages to notice that he did commit a felony or two.

Comment by Thomas Westgard Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 11:30 am
Bill, you mention Kass.

that article he wrote yesterday…I would say it is one of the most absurd things he ever wrote, but the volume of absurdity out of that guy is too great to make such a determination.

He has the imagination of an 8 year-old boy. His flights of fancy about combines and Daley and Rezko…there is less fantasy in the entire body of work by JK Rowling. Seriously, does no one edit that guy?

Comment by JonShibleyFan Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 11:38 am
I’m curious as to why Durbin has ruled out asking Obama if Bush doesn’t act.

Has Durbin ruled out asking Obama? I haven’t seen that.. Otherwise I’d take Durbin at his word about his reasons.

Comment by Bill Baar Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 11:47 am
Since it was something no one would expect him to do for the political benefit, I give Durbin the benefit of the doubt and ascribe altruistic motivations. I think the clemency request has the side benefit of heading off a pardon (as requested by Mrs Ryan, and probably hoped for by the unrepentant Gov.), and the politically astute Durbin would know that as well.

From a fiscal standpoint, it’s good policy to let out older prisoners who pose little threat to the community. Put a bracelet on him! The majority of health care expenditures are made in the last few years of life. As it now stands, we took away Ryan’s pension, but we end up paying all of his expenses anyway. This is a great way to get him (and others like him) off the dole.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 11:52 am
This is non-sense. Durbin wants Ryan out because Ryan was always a Chicago Machine Politician. How do you think a Republican lost down state and still got elected. Durbin and Ryan are political allies, nothing more.

If Mr. Durbin is really plucking at heart strings, what has he done for the people who had family members die because of Ryans scandal. This was not just a little cash under the table. People died in a horrific automobile accident and the reason they died was becuase Ryan put the cash in his pocket.

He should rot in Jail. His wife benefitted from his corruption for years and if she has a hard time now, so be it.

Comment by the Patriot Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 12:00 pm
Dear Partiot,

George Ryan had nothing to do with the deaths of the Willis’ children. He was not driving the truck, he did not personally handle the licensing of the corrupt driver, and he did not run the school that conspired with the facility manager to sell licenses. Prove that he knew licenses were being sold, and I’ll stand on the steps of the capitol and shout that I was wrong. Until then, please give me a break.

Comment by Joe in the Know Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 12:11 pm
The internal investigation into the bribes for licenses was shut down by Ryan directive–he absolutley knew this activity was going on.

Comment by Get Real Joe in the Know Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 1:16 pm
Get Real

Might as well give up. The few Ryan supporters on here all seem to be personal aquaitences of the former gov. They know him to be a good guy. The rest of us know him to be a crook and convicted felon.

Comment by Leave a light on George Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 2:12 pm
Get Real - remember me? I’m the one who “investigated” the investigation.

Comment by Dean Bauer's Briefcase Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 2:27 pm
This is theonly thing that I have ever agreeded with Dick Durbin on.

Comment by springfieldwatcher Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 2:28 pm
Patriot,

Ryan is a Republican from Kankakee. Durbin is Belleville-Born and lives in Springfield. To say either, let alone both, are “Chicago machine politicians” is patently absurd.

Comment by JonShibleyFan Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 2:46 pm
Its politically easy to oppose it but takes remarkable courage to not only support it but to take the lead like Durbin did. I have much more respect for him know that I ever did.

Comment by downhereforyears Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 4:25 pm
I suspect that Durbin’s reason for doing this does involve his emotions over the loss of his daughter.

I also disagree with it. Ryan should stay in prison. There have to be thousands of Federal prisoners with Illinois connections who deserve commutation more than George Ryan. Find them Senator. Get them out first.

In a strange way though I do respect Durbin for sticking to his guns on this one. He ain’t backing down. Most other pols would have.

Comment by IrishPirate Friday, Dec 5, 08 @ 6:11 pm