Ryan says he learned lesson on Levine
When former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan rails against corruption in his primary bid for governor, the Elmhurst Republican often faces questions about his own ties to convicted influence peddler Stuart Levine.
Now, Ryan says he has learned from that association - "trust but verify."
Levine, a longtime close friend of Ryan's, was the prosecution's key witness in the trial of Tony Rezko, one of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's main behind-the-scenes grafters. Levine has admitted to scheming for kickbacks and payoffs while sitting on state boards under Blagojevich.
In a Daily Herald editorial board interview Monday, Ryan said he never was aware of Levine's corruption or secret drug use, which surfaced in Rezko's trial. Levine has not been accused of wrongdoing on behalf of Jim Ryan.
"Stu Levine gave me a lot of money over my entire career," said Ryan, who also was DuPage County State's Attorney for three terms. "I thought he did it because he believed in me. He did a lot for me, I didn't do anything for him except to be his friend."
Ryan is re-entering the public stage after more than six years out of office. After two terms as attorney general, he ran against Blagojevich for governor in 2002 and lost.
In the GOP primary, Ryan is focusing on the economy and corruption.
On Monday, he said he supports all of the ethics recommendations from the Illinois Reform Commission led by former federal prosecutor Pat Collins, who put former Gov. George Ryan in prison.
Specifically, Ryan said if he was elected he would push for term limits on legislative leaders, additional caps on campaign cash funneled from party leaders to candidates and broadening the powers of state's attorneys to investigate and prosecute public corruption. Ryan also wants a better system for redistricting.
Ryan talked at length Monday about instilling an ethical culture in state government by driving "the values down from top to bottom."
"I'm going to demand unyielding integrity," Ryan said.
When asked if he learned anything from having a close friend like Levine turn out to be corrupt, Ryan said, "I guess the answer is Reagan: trust but verify."
President Ronald Reagan made the phrase famous in describing his diplomacy with the Soviet Union.
"You can completely trust someone and find out you are wrong," Ryan said. "You think you know someone and you don't."
Ryan went on to say he is anticipating a barrage of attacks in the final weeks of the campaign about Levine from others in the seven-candidate primary race.
"I'm not going to cower," he said. "If people think I'm going to back down because of that, they are wrong."
Ryan also talked his health Monday. The 63-year-old battled non-Hodgkin's large cell lymphoma cancer three times, most recently during his first campaign for governor eight years ago.
"I think I'm healthy or I wouldn't do this," Ryan said. "If that changes, you will know because I will probably won't stay in the race."
Other candidates in the GOP primary for governor will speak with Daily Herald editors in the coming days. They include state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom of Naperville, Hinsdale businessman Adam Andrzejewski, Chicago conservative commentator Dan Proft, state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington and former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna of Chicago.
The primary is Feb. 2.